Christmas Sugar Cookies - what is your recipe?

[Ginevra]

I have always used my mother's recipe, which makes a lot of cookies, but I don't really like the way the recipe goes together. The dough is always insanely sticky and doesn't start behaving until I've worked in a lot of flour and handled it quite a lot. I'd like to avoid all that nonsense if possible. Here is my mom's recipe; tell me what you do differently or what you disagree with:

 

6 C flour

1/2 t salt

2 1/2 C sugar

2 t baking powder

6 eggs

3 t vanilla

2 C shortening or butter

 

Sift dry ingredients together. Add shortening in with fork. *This is the first part that I don't like; it's so cumbersome. Add unbeaten eggs and vanilla. *Why unbeaten? It is so hard to add the eggs like this. Mix well w/spoon or hands. Wrap into a tube in wax paper. Refrigerate 1-2 hours or overnight. Roll out on pastry board; cut into shapes. Decorate; bake on greased cookie sheet at 350 for 8 minutes. *Also, butter or shortening? I think my mother used margerine, which I never use. I'm not sure if that makes a difference in the stickiness.

 

Advice appreciated.

[lynn]

I buy the pillsbury read sugar cookie dough. :leaving:

[Guest]

I buy the pillsbury read sugar cookie dough. :leaving:

 

 

 

LALALALALA!!!! I can't hear you!!!! :svengo:

[itsheresomewhere]

Try using half the flour and replacing the rest of the flour with powdered sugar. OMG is it divine and just lovely.

[Caitilin]

I use the joy of cooking recipe for rich rolled cookies. It's easy and makes a lot too.

 

2 sticks butter

2/3 C sugar

1 large egg

1/4 t baking powder

1/8 t salt

1 1/2 t vanilla

 

We double it for our family. :)

[lynn]

double post??

[Amy in NH]

I use the joy of cooking recipe for rich rolled cookies. It's easy and makes a lot too.

 

2 sticks butter

2/3 C sugar

1 large egg

1/4 t baking powder

1/8 t salt

1 1/2 t vanilla

 

We double it for our family. :)

 

No flour at all?

[AK_Mom4]

I always use Martha's tried and true sugar cookie recipe

http://www.marthastewart.com/260458/ideal-sugar-cookies

 

I don't think I like the proportions in your mother's recipe - 6 eggs is quite a lot. No wonder you have to work in tons of extra flour!

 

With Martha's recipe, you cream the sugar and butter, dump in the eggs and flavoring, then slowly mix in the dry ingredients. You can use a mixer or do it by hand (I've done both) and it comes out good.

[4kidlets4me]

http://bakeat350.blogspot.com/2008/04/taste-of-yellow-yellow-rose-sugar.html

 

This is the best sugar cookie recipe. It doesn't need to be refrigerated before working with it and it's not sticky at all.

[gardenmom5]

first question - how old is this recipe? this sounds like a recipe my grandmother would have used in the 30's. have you tried it with a mixer? (though I'd probably halve the recipe)

 

Add shortening in with fork. *This is the first part that I don't like; it's so cumbersome.

 

 

use a pastry blender, it will be a lot faster than a fork, and do a better job of it. (when making cookies, I just use my kitchen aid.) it affects the way the fat globules stick together with the rest of the dough. this is a very important step, and will make a difference in how the dough behaves.

 

When I make biscuts, I do that until the flour/shortening mixture starts sticking together in pea-sized (or larger) clumps - and I can tell when the biscuts come out of the oven if it was done correctly.

when I make cookies, I make sure the sugars and butter are throughly mixed before adding anything else.

 

 

Add unbeaten eggs and vanilla. *Why unbeaten? It is so hard to add the eggs like this.

because it affects how the eggs combine with other ingredients

 

 

Mix well w/spoon or hands. Wrap into a tube in wax paper. Refrigerate 1-2 hours or overnight. Roll out on pastry board; cut into shapes. Decorate; bake on greased cookie sheet at 350 for 8 minutes. *Also, butter or shortening? I think my mother used margerine, which I never use. I'm not sure if that makes a difference in the stickiness.

 

Advice appreciated.

 

I would use a spoon (actually, I wouldn't care and would use my kitchen aid. there are few things I make "by hand".) - hands will make a tougher dough. butter will warm and make the dough softer if it has been sitting out. shortening will be firmer. I never use margerine either. If my dough is sticky, I simply pop it back in the refridgerator for a bit and work some more.

 

edited to add link

[gardenmom5]

I'll just add - I don't make rolled sugar cookies so I don't have a recipe to offer. I have an old family recipe for sugar cookies that rolls them in balls, rolls them in sugar, and smashes with a glass bottom that has been dipped in sugar (so they dont' stick). they practically melt in your mouth they are so tender and light - and very easy.

 

Sugar Cookies

 

1c powdered sugar

1c granulated sugar

1c butter

1c oil

2 eggs

Mix well in stand mixer. slowly add:

4 ½ c + 2 Tbsp. flour, sifted.

1t salt

1t cream of tarter

1t soda

1t vanilla

 

Roll in balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar then place on cookie sheet. Use a flat bottomed glass dipped in sugar to flatten each ball, redipping in sugar as needed so balls don’t stick.

 

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 – 12 minutes then place on rack to cool.

[happi duck]

1 cup unsalted butter (two sticks)

11/2 cup powdered sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

 

 

 

Cream the butter and add the rest of the ingredients.

 

No need to chill- just roll out and cut with cookie cutters.

 

After putting the cookies on the baking sheet I usually put the sheet in the freezer or fridge for a couple minutes, the cookies seem to stay flatter.

 

If decorating with egg yolk paint, decorate before baking.

 

Bake at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes

[MicheleinMN]

:lurk5:

[Caitilin]

 

 

No flour at all?

 

 

Oops, 2 C flour. :tongue_smilie: I was trying to type beyond my capacity for speed and accuracy. ;)

[thessa516]

I can't help with your recipe, but I'll add my very favorite. It's from here. 

[Guest]

Thanks, guys. I think I'm going to try one of these that has powdered sugar in it and that creams the butter and sugar together first.

 

This is a very old recipe. My mother used it all my life and I believe it was the same one my grandmother used before, so it probably is from the 30's or 40's.

[Lady Marmalade]

I use the joy of cooking recipe for rich rolled cookies. It's easy and makes a lot too.

 

2 sticks butter

2/3 C sugar

1 large egg

1/4 t baking powder

1/8 t salt

1 1/2 t vanilla

 

We double it for our family. :)

 

This is the recipe I use. I make one change though, and that is that I swap out the baking powder for baking soda. We like our cookies crispy, and the soda makes them crispy, where they end up a bit soft with the baking powder.

 

Either way though, they are a very tasty cookie, though my version of Joy calls for 2 1/2 cups of AP flour, vs. the 2 cups.