Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Last weekend I shared a recipe for sugar cookies that was given to me by a neighbor. This was the first Christmas I tried her recipe and they were a big hit with my family. As I was going through my stacks of recipes, I discovered yet another for "Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies," which Nan sent to me in 2007. I decided it was high time to try these, as well.

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Mary Engelbreit

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup coarse white or colored sugar, or a combination

Preheat oven to 375.

Lightly grease baking sheets.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, margarine, confectioners sugar and granulated sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, baking powder and salt. Beat in the flour at slow speed.

Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll to coat well in the coarse sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten each cookie. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden.

Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

My Notes:

I used 1 cup of butter instead using the margarine.

I heated the oven to 350 instead of 375.

I used my Silpat baking mats (you can also use parchment paper) instead of greasing the cookie sheets.

I dipped the bottom of the glass in water before flattening the cookie so the dough wouldn't stick.

I sprinkled colored sugar on top of the cookie, rather than rolling the entire ball in sugar. They were still sweet enough.

We taste-tested these and the sugar cookies I made with my neighbor's recipe. Both winners!

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Sugar Cookies

I seriously doubt anyone needs another recipe for sugar cookies, but I am always on the lookout for that perfect recipe for cookies like the ones I used to devour when I was about ten years old, babysitting for a neighbor's little girl. I can still imagine their melt-in-your mouth buttery flavor with the sweetness of the colored sugar sprinkled on top. I may have embarrassed myself by eating more than I should have after putting the baby to bed...

This recipe is from my next door neighbor in Lincoln, Nebraska. She made these (and a huge pot of Chicken and Rice Soup) for us when Rod was recovering from his back surgery a few years ago. I've made the soup many times, but this was the first time I've tried the cookie recipe and it won't be the last. Delicious!

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Crisco
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

Cream sugar, Crisco and butter together. Add egg and vanilla.

Mix flour, soda, cream of tartar and salt together in a separate bowl.

Add dry ingredients to the sugar mixture.

Roll into small balls and place on a cookie sheet (lined with parchment paper or a Silpat); flatten the dough with the bottom of a glass (dipped in water, if the dough sticks) and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes until the edges start to brown.

Yield: 3 dozen

Please visit Beth Fish Reads for Weekend Cooking.

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.