ISO: Great recipe for sugar cookie cut outs....

[Lys]

Hi everyone...

I tried the search function but couldn't get anything specific. I am trying to make sugar cookie cut outs for my son's christening (cross shaped cookies). I have two recipes handy - one from Martha Stewart and one from Cook's Illustrated. I have not tried either and am wondering if any of you have used the recipes from either source or if you have another recipe that's tried and true?? TIA for any help I appreciate it!!!

[valchemist]

these are my go-to cutout cookies.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Celebration Sugar Cookies

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 3/4 c flour
1/2 c cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c butter -- at room temperature
1/2 c shortening
1 c sugar
1 egg
2 tsps vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract -- (I cut back on this)

Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Cream the butter, shortening, and sugar until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the egg and extracts and mix until blended, about 1 minute. Add the flour on low speed and mix until just incorporated. Divide dough in half and form it into 2 smooth disks about 6 inches in diameter. Wrap disks in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (don't leave it in too long or it will get too hard) Roll out dough to 3/16 inch thick. Cut out cookies and transfer to parchment lined baking sheets. Decorate with colored sugars and sprinkles. Bake until bottoms are lightly browned, about 14 minutes at 350. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. The cookies can be layered between sheets of waxed paper and stored in a tightly covered container for up to 1 week.

Source:
Big Fat Cookies


NOTES : Cookie Description from the Book:
Here are my requirements for an all-purpose dough for making great cut-out cookies:
1. A dough that is easy to mix
2. A dough that rolls out easily, is not fussy about being rolled out several times, and does not mind if little hands squish and press it a bit.
3. A dough that holds the shape of the cut out design when baked.
4. A dough that produces a cookie that remains in good condition for a week or more and can successfully travel to far away friends and family
Here is that cookie dough.

my notes: Great sugar cookies! the dough is EASY to work with and they taste great. with regard to texture, these sugar cookies might be a cross between an average dry/crunchy sugar cookie and a shortbread cookie. they are crunchy, but somewhat tender/dissolving, too. they aren't exactly melt-in-your-mouth, but they do have some of that dissolving quality. mainly, though, I would have to classify them as a crunchy cookie. the taste is excellent. the recipe called for almond and vanilla. I didn't want the almond to overpower so I only used half the amount. the cookies taste buttery. a half recipe for me yielded about 15 average sized cookies.

[sadie]

I'm adding my endorsement to the Celebration Sugar Cookies. I've made them several times and they're excellent. Val's notes are dead on.

[Donnaluv2cruise]

I've used the Martha Stewart recipe many times with great results. Her recipe and instructions for flooding are good also. The cookies and icing taste great too! The only thing I would say is it's a bigger project then you think. So try to bake one day and ice the next.

[RecipeGirl]

I made Baseball Cookies for my son's team yesterday. You can read more about them here, and see pics of a step by step demo.



I found a fabulous sugar cookie recipe on Kitchengifts.com. It's called No Fail Sugar Cookies, and they truly are no-fail. I've gotten loads of compliments on how delicious they taste too.

Here's a link to the recipe.

No- Fail Sugar Cookies

Great when using complex cookie cutters...

2 cups butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
6 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract (or desired flavoring- such as almond)
1 tsp salt

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl, and add a little at a time to butter mixture. Mix until flour is completely incorporated and dough comes together.

2. Chill for 1 to 2 hours (or see tips below).

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Make sure you let your oven preheat for at least ½-hour before baking these or any other cookies.

4. Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes. Bake on ungreased baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just beginning to brown around the edges. (longer time for thicker cookies)

5. Gently remove cookies with a spatula and let them cool on wire racks.

Yield: Five dozen 3-inch cookies

Cooking Tips
*KitchenGifts.com tip for rolling out dough without the mess: Rather than wait for your cookie dough to chill, take the freshly made dough and place a glob between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll it out to the desired thickness, then place the dough and paper on a cookie sheet and pop it into the refrigerator. Continue rolling out your dough between sheets of paper until you have used it all. By the time you are finished, the first batch will be completely chilled and ready to cut. Reroll leftover dough and repeat the process. Add added bonus is that you are not adding any additional flour to your cookies.

Recipe Source
http://www.kitchengifts.com

[applecrisp]

Recipegirl --

Those cookies you made from your son's team are so cute. Great job!

I've never made sugar cookies and iced them --- its been on my list of things to try for soooo long. One of these days.

[keishuuamuro]

This recipe makes excellenet cut out cookies; its not the typical sugar cookie recipe but it's pretty quick and convenient to make since it doesn't require the dough to be refrigerated. It's an old recipe my mom's been using for years.

Sugar Roll-Out Cookie
1 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add baking powder and flour one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. The dough will be very stiff; blend last flour in by hand. DO NOT CHILL THE DOUGH! (She really emphasized that) Note: Dough can be tinted with Paste Icing Color. Divide Dough into 2 balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball in a circle approximately approximately 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 in thick. Dip cutters in flour before each use. Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet on top rack of oven for 6-7 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned. Decorate cookies with icing once cooled, or if using only sprinkles, decorate when lukewarm.

[EmptyNestMom]

Here's the one that my MIL always made for us...any would pack up and mail at Valentine's Day and Easter and Christmas...Simple and wonderful taste!!

Butter Cookies

1 cup buter
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs beaten separately & then added
1 tsp vanilla
3 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs & vanilla. Mix in flour and baking powder. Chill the dough about an hour.
Roll out about 1/4 inch (or thicker if you like thicker cookies) and cut out. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Frost with your favorite frosting. (We always just used powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla)

[Lys]

Thank you so much for all the recipes and replies, I can't get over how different all the recipes are!!! I think I am going to try two different ones, just to see what sort of differences there are in texture and taste...

recipegirl - those cookies are beautiful! your son's team must have been thrilled!!!

[EmptyNestMom]

Alyssa,

If you do two let us know how they compare to each other...interested taste buds want to know!!