Sugar Cookies

My sister had her baby shower a while back.  I asked her if she wanted me to make her anything for the party.  I told her it had to be able to survive shipping (she lives in the West Coast and I am in the East Coast). She requested that I make her some onesie cookies. I have not made any before so I thought this was going to be an adventure.  She was very particular about what design she wanted too.  She wanted it pink with polka dots.  She's not too demanding, is she?  Well, I guess they liked it. She had one after she opened the box and my brother -in-law couldn't stop eating (my sister had to pry another one away from him, hahaha). The baby was born a few days ago and I am flying to see my new niece, Hannah Reese.  My brother-in-law has a special request though,  if I can make more of the cookies .....

Here's my sugar cookie recipe.

Ingredients

2 1/2 c butter at room temperature
2 c sugar (I don't like it sweet so I only put 1 cup)
2 large organic eggs
3 tsps pure vanilla (or seeds of 1 vanilla)
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt

Directions

Place butter and sugar in your mixing bowl and with an electric mixer cream on low to medium speed for about a minute.  Scrape down the sides and mix again for a few more seconds.   Do not over mix the butter and sugar.  We do not want to incorporate too much air into the dough.

Slowly add the eggs one at a time and mix.  Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add the vanilla.

On a separate bowl, sift the flour & salt.

Add all the flour to butter mixture and mix on low speed for 30 seconds.  Again, do not over mix.  We do not want to activate the gluten in the flour.  It will make the dough tough.

Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper.  Roll it to a quarter of an inch thick.  Place the rolled dough on a baking pan and put it in the fridge for 1 hour.

With you favorite cookie cutter, cut out your cookie shapes.  Put the cookie shapes back in the fridge for another 10 minutes.  Scrap cookie dough could be rolled again and cut into shape.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake cookies between 8-12 minutes or until the edges turn slightly golden brown.

Cool your cookies and decorate.


Note - The regular recipe has 1 tsp of baking powder.  But I have noticed that baking powder makes the dough rise and sometimes changes the shape.  I have completely eliminated it in this recipe.  You can add 1 tsp if you want to stick to the original recipe.


to be continued ......  How to decorate sugar cookies