Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Sugar Cookies--Too Good to Eat



The sugar cookies above are just some of the ones we managed to put into our gift baskets (see post, Gift Baskets). The taste was good, but could have been better. I would have preffered a more pronounced butter flavor, and maybe a better vanilla extract. AS to the more butter flavor aspect, I added a teaspoon of Wiltons butter flavor extract to one batch of the dough. This batch I felt tasted better than the non extract one. One thing to note is, I am a cheapo (with limited funds). I buy cheap store brand vanilla extract. I know, I know, I've heard enough now about how good vanilla should always be used, (problem with that is the ka-ching).

Our recipe, chosen from many was Georgie Bowers, Soft Sugar Cookies. Now personally I love a nice crunchy sugar cookie, but my partner (sis) won out this round.

3 3/4 cups white flour
1 ts baking powder
1/2 ts salt

Sift the above ingredients together. Set aside.

1 c butter (or margarine) softened
1 1/2 c white sugar

Beat together until light and fluffy. Remember not to melt the butter completly when trying to bring it to room temp. I have done this often, not thinking my recipes ahead and wanting to make cookies, 'spur of the moment'. I have found a good enough method for me, chop the butter into small cubes, then place in microwave for a few seconds, take out, see if you can mix it a bit (softened).

2 eggs
2 ts vanilla extract

Add these into the butter mix, when incorporated, add in the flour mix. When you have formed a dough, cover and chill for 2 hours.
Now my method to make rolling easier was dividing the dough and placing the balls into ziploc baggies. I closed the bag and smushed the dough flat in each bag, then refridgerated overnight. I like flattening the dough before freezing so that when I did take my dough out to roll and cut, I would save that much time. The refridgerated dough "melts" really fast.

Roll our 1/4" thick, cut your shapes, and bake 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Basically, when your cookies start to get a little tan around the edges, take them out and put in your next pan.

I'll show you in the next post how we decorated these babies.

2 comments:

  1. I love the gold sprinkled snowman. You are talented- I saw your post on the flowery cupcakes!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Why thank u kindly! Come back soon, I hope to make more cookies!

    ReplyDelete