Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies can be adapted for any celebration. These can be frosted with butter cream frosting and decorated.  These can also be sprinkled with granulated sugar or colored sugar crystals. Also these can be left plain and used as mini dessert pizzas to be assembled on the spot. Makes about 5 dozen.

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cup Softened Butter (room temperature)

2 Cups Granulated Vanilla Sugar (white granulated sugar stored with a vanilla bean in the canister)

4 eggs

1 Teaspoon Homemade Vanilla

 5 Cups White or Unbleached Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Salt

Directions

1. Cream together sugar and butter. 
2. Add in eggs and vanilla; mix well. 
3. Mix salt and baking powder in a small bowl, then whisk into flour. 
4. With mixer on pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix well. 
5. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour to over night. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  
6. On a lightly floured surface roll out cookie dough to an even thickness of 1/4- 1/2 inch. 
7. Using a cookie cuter cut out shapes and place about 1 inch apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet. 
8. Place cookie sheet in the freezer. Placing the cookie sheet in the freezer for a few minutes before cooking helps cookies maintain their shape!
9. Immediately fill out the next cookie sheet. 
10. Then take the second cookie sheet and place in the freezer. 
11. Take the chilled cookie sheet out of the freezer and leave plain for frosting later or sprinkle with granulated or crystal sugar for sugar cookies. 
12.  Place chilled cookie sheets immediately in the preheated oven.
13. Bake 6-8 minute, till firm but not browned. 
14. Cool on rack.

Soft Gingerbread Cookies

These make delicately delicious soft gingerbread that can be cut into shapes and frosted with standard butter cream frosting.

Ingredients

1  1/2 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Butter (softened)

3 Tablespoons Molasses

2 Tablespoons Milk

1 Egg

3  1/4 Cup Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

1  1/2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Frosting

Butter Cream Frosting

Directions

In a large bowl cream sugar and butter; add molasses, milk, and egg; mix well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off with a knife. In a small bowl mix baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir spice mix into batter, add flour and blend well.  Work with 1/3 of the dough at a time.  Roll out onto a floured surface. Roll out to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut shapes with floured cookie cutters.  Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet immediately and cool.  Frost with Butter Cream Frosting.  Enjoy!

Ginger Snaps

This is the same recipe as another one on this site referred to as Molasses Sugar Cookies. The difference is that this one is made with butter instead of shortening. Jennifer Robertson made these cookies and brought them to Princess Academy December 2007. I must say I prefer the flavor of the butter over shortening. Butter is better for you too.

Ginger Snaps

3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp ginger

Cream butter and sugar together. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add egg and molasses to creamed butter and beat well. Mix in dry ingredients. Chill one hour. Roll into 1" balls; roll balls in granulated sugar. Place balls 2" apart on un-greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook.

Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 cup chopped nuts

Cream:
1/4 lb of butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin


Sift:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Add dry ingredients and creamed ingredients and blend. Blend in lemon extract and nuts. Drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto a greased cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes.

Pat's Molasses Sugar Cookies

Makes 2 1/2 -3 dozen cookies. We have enjoyed this recipe for 30 years!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses (not black strap)
1 egg
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ginger

Extra sugar to roll cookies in.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream shortening and sugar. Add molasses and egg. Beat well. Roll into walnut size balls. Roll balls in sugar. Place two inches apart on foil lined cookie sheet. Bake 13-15 minutes.

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:

Cream together:
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs

Stir together:
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

To Roll Cookies in:
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

Combine creamed ingredients and dry ingredients, until well blended. Shape dough into balls, a rounded teaspoon per ball. Roll balls in sugar/cinnamon mixture. Place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove and cool immediately.

Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
¾ cups cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat 350˚. Mix butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, coca, baking soda, and salt. Mix in with creamed mixture... roll into 1" balls and place 2" apart. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Makes 4 ½ dozen.

Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups butter
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cup flour
3 cups oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven 375˚. Beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add to creamed mixture. Stir in oats. Drop by rounded mounds (tablespoons) onto an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes (for soft cookie) Cool 1 minute in cookie sheet, then move to cooling rack to finish cooling. Store in air tight container. Makes 4 ½ Dozen

Dad's Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the basic recipe that my mother, Dorothy, and her mother, "Effie," used to make chocolate chip cookies. They were inclined to use half butter and half Crisco, and we use pure butter. Yes, these were the cookies that were in the tins that my grandma would serve us up from, and send home with us. My husband added the coconut and chopped nuts. This makes a chewy chocolate chip cookie. For a crunchier cookie just cook them longer.

Basic Ingredients:

4 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups butter OR 1 cup Crisco (shortening) + 1 cup butter
1 ½ granulated sugar
1 ½ brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2- 4 eggs (less eggs make cake like cookies, 2 works great!)
1 cup chocolate chips (or just eyeball to desires amounts!)

Optional Ingredients:

1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup coconut

Directions:

Sift and set aside flour, baking soda, and salt

Cream together butter (OR 1 cup Crisco + 1 cup butter), granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and 2- 4 eggs. Important Note see end note on cookie quality and type of fat used.

Combine flour mixture, liquid mixture, and eggs.

Add chocolate chips

Optional- Add chopped walnuts and coconut.

Drop by rounded teaspoon on un-greased cookies sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes

Important Note: on butter, margarine, and shortenings...For health, taste, and product quality, I use pure butter. In this note I will focus on product quality. I will deal with nutrition in separate posts. I do not recommend margarine as many margarines have changed over the years and have more water and air whipped into them, and this changes the recipe, when cooked. If you have to use margarine or another brand of shortening, you will have to experiment, usually adding a 1/4 cup or more of flour. Even butter sometimes has problems if carregenan is added to thicken the butter instead of milk fat. Though carregenan is a natural thickener, it does not act the same in recipes.

Grandma Flaugh’s Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

When I was a young child, we would drive from Fort Wayne to Decatur, Indiana, to visit my mother's family. My grandmother, Mary "Effie" Flaugh always had a large tin filled with sugar cookies and another with chocolate chip cookies, waiting for us. We would keep them in the freezer. At night she would bring out the frozen cookies and we would each have a few cookies and milk. When it was time to leave, she would give us the tins of cookies to take with us. When we came back, we would return the tins, and we would be given another set of tins when we left. For years I looked for a sugar cookie like my grandmother made. When I was in college I got the recipe from grandma.

This recipe makes light, cake like sugar cookies with a very delicate lemon flavor. I usually double the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated sugar plus extra sugar to sprinkle on cookies
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup Crisco shortening
Direction:

Preheat oven to 400°

Cream: sugar, eggs, and Crisco till fluffy. Add the rest and whip till fluffy. Spoon onto cookie sheet w/ teaspoon. Sprinkle extra sugar on cookies before baking. Bake for 7 minutes.

Cyclops Cookies

Ingredients:

½ (1 stick) cup butter
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup (packed) brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 bag Hershey Kisses

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375˚

Cream the butter and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl. Then add in sugar and brown sugar. Beat till fluffy. Add egg milk and vanilla. Beat well. In medium mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Combine the flour mixture with the peanut butter mixture in the large mixing bowl. Beat well. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in sugar and place 2 inches apart on un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 -12 minutes. Immediately press a chocolate kiss atop each cookie. lift from cookie sheet and let cool. Makes 60

Butter Cookies

I love this recipe because it is so versatile. They can be simple or elegant. You can even make your own variety tins like the danish cookies sold in tins that are abundant at Christmas time. When dough is fluffy and light it makes drop cookies that stay light for days!

Ingredients:
Cream together-
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar (I use cane sugar instead of beet sugar)

Mix well into creamed mixture-
4 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon lemon extract)

Sift the following ingredients together. Beat into the rest of the ingredients.
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks and vanilla, mix well. Sift flour and salt together. Beat flour mixture into butter mixture until well mixed. Place 1 ” apart on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake about 10 minutes, do not brown cookies. Remove cookies from sheet while still warm. Cool on wax paper or cooling rack.

This recipe can make a variety of cookies. We rolled them out on a floured counter, and cut them into heart shapes. They can be frosted with butter cream frosting, with cinnamon hearts, silver balls, or a tubed frosting. I have sometimes added cinnamon to the frosting.

Cookie Options:

• Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to dough.

•  Replace Vanilla with 2 Teaspoons Pure Lemon..

• Put into a pastry bag with food dye in stripes, down the inside of the bag, so they come out through a large star cake decorating tip. Then they can be piped into fancy shapes. You can also use the star tip to drop a large star blob, and once this is cooked, fill the center with red jelly, jam, or preserves.
  

• The dough can be divided in half and one side dyed another color, or not. Then they can be rolled in long ropes and twisted together and then twisted into candy canes or pretzels. The sprinkled the canes with crushed peppermint candy.

• Make a long roll of the dough and place in wax paper, then chill. Slice into 1/2 inch thick slices and place on un-greased cookie sheet. You can also roll the chilled roll in mini chocolate chips, colored sprinkles, peppermint candy, etc.

• For cookie cutter shapes- chill dough for a few hours and roll our about 1/2 in thickness. These shapes can be decorated as usual, be made into sandwich cookies with pastel icing (you can even add flavoring to the icing) the the edges of the icing can be sprinkled with a topping. These can also be made into ice cream sandwiches.

• Make drop cookies.

• Sometimes we cut the cookies a little thicker and they are much like shortbread cookies. You can roll out the dough and cut with a knife into squares. Then when they come out of the oven sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

• You can also add chopped almonds, pecans, macadamia nuts, or walnuts to the dough or on top of the cookies.

• Make Individual Fresh Fruit Pizzas-  Roll out Cookie dough and cut into large circles or squares. Mix 8oz Cream Cheese into 2 boxes Instant Vanilla Pudding using directions for Pie filling, top with Fresh Fruit! 
  

Topping Options:

• Colored Sugar
• Butter Cream Icing
• Butter Cream Icing with 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Coconut
• Cake decorating candies
• Chopped nuts
• Crushed candy canes
• Jams, jelly, or preserves
• Dipped or drizzled with chocolate
• Chocolates formed in molds and put on cookies when warm and chilled
• Enjoy! These make wonderful Easter and Christmas Cookies. 
• The dough can be dyed green for St. Patrick's Day.

Gingerbread Cookies

This recipe can be cut into shapes and is a soft gingerbread cookie.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup softened butter
3 Tbs molasses
2 Tbs milk
1 egg
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine sugar, butter, molasses, milk, and egg: mix well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off, place in a medium bowl. Take soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt and stir together in a small bowl. Stir spices into flour, and flour mixture into butter mixture. Blend well. Divide dough into thirds. Roll out 1/3 of the dough at a time, on a floured surface to 1/8 th inch thickness. Cut into shapes and place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 1 inch apart. Cook 7-10 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet and cool completely. Frost with buttercream frosting. Decorate.