Needed: Sugar Cookie Recipe

[Gina O]

I am trying to start a family tradition of getting together and baking cookies with my sister and my mother. As my sister does not cook much, the only cookies she wants to make are the cut out, decorated sugar cookies. I made these years ago and they were dry and generally yucky. I would like a recipe that makes moist, yummy cookies that look like the ones Martha Stewart makes! All recipies and suggestions are greatly appreciated. Gina

[lindrusso]

Gina - Here's the Martha recipe that I use (she has several versions of sugar cookies). Just be sure to chill the dough and maybe even the cut outs before baking to keep them from puffing up too much - they can lose their shape easily. I tend to use this recipe for the cutouts that don't have those detailing (just the plain shapes). These taste great!

SUGAR COOKIES

4 1/2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter baking sheet or line with parchment paper. Sift together the dry ingredients.

2. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the dry ingredients, 1 cup at a time, alternating with the milk and vanilla, beating well after each addition. Wrap and chill dough for at least an hour.

3. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll 1 piece at a time on a floured board and cut with large cookie cutters. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on racks. Makes 40 2-inch (or 2 1/2-inch??) cookies.

[Gina O]

Wow! You are fast! Thanks so much for the recipe. Looks to be just what I am looking for. Gina

[sneezles]

Gina
I use the following recipe for cut outs and not just the round ones. It is really good and I've not had a problem with them puffing up during baking.

CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Old-Fashioned Teacakes

SOURCE: Southern Living YEAR: November, 1984 PAGE: 15tx

INGREDIENTS FOR 48 SERVINGS:
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 tbs buttermilk
3 eggs
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
additional sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:
Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time,
beating well after each addition. Add buttermilk, and beat well. Combine flour
adn soda; gradually stir into creamed mixture. Stir in vanilla. Chill dough
several hours or overnight.

Roll dough to 1/4" thickness on a lightly floured surface; cut into rounds
with a
3 1/2" cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheet;
sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400º for 7-8 minutes or until edges are lightly
browned. Remove cookies to wire rack and let cool completely. Yield: 4 dozen.

[Mamasue]

Gina,

This recipe for Blue Ribbon Sugar Cookie is my ultimately favorite and one that I have been using for a couple of years since Tami has shared it with everyone. Her site is fairly new and she also shows you visually all the steps. This dough is easy and very tasteful but not low in fat. This is a also the recipe that I tested Plugra/Land O Lakes butter with. Enjoy! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

http://home.beseen.com/hobbies/circuitsurfer/BRSugarCookies.html

[Robin C]

I have been using the sugar cookie recipies from Cooking Light 1998 cookbook. They have recipies for many variations (brown sugar, chocolate, basic, peanut butter pepermint, etc.) and I have tried them all. They are excellent. You can find the easy recipie in the recipie finder at CL.

[JJeannette]

Here's another sugar cookie recipe that I have been using for years. I don't usually bother rolling them out--just make balls and use a cookie stamp.

Crisp Sugar Cookies

1 cup margarine
3/4 cup oil(canola doesn't work well)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring(lemon is also good)
4 cups flour
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream margarine, oil, and sugars. Add rest of ingredients, mixing well. Chill for 1 hour or until dough is fairly firm. Roll out about 1/4 of dough and cut. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake until lightly brown on edges. Cool on racks. These can be either sprinkled with sugar before baking or decorated with icing after baking.

[buddie]

this is a recipe i got from a cooking class i took and is now THE recipe i use!!!

Best Sugar Cookies for cookie cutting and frosting
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 lb butter cut into 10-12 pieces
1 large egg
3-4 tbsp mild
1 tsp vanilla (or any flavor)

in a large bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add butter to flour, cut in with pastry blender until mixture resembles small crumbs.

In a small bowl whisk together egg, mild and vanilla, add to flour mixture while mixing with a fork until mixture comes together in a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30-60 minutes.

Divide dough into 2 pieces, set 1 piece aside. Roll dough onto lightly floured surface to a 1/4 inch thickens (DO NOT ROLL DOUGH THINNER). Cut into desired shapes. Place cookies on baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven or 6-9 minutes. Remove from oven transfer cookies to a cooling rack

Frosting:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup soften butter
3-4 tbsp mild
1 tsp vanilla
food coloring (divide frosting into separate bowls for many colors)

mix all adding milk 1 tbsp at a time until desired consistency is achieved.