A Sweet Treat with Lots of Love
In the famous words of Spike the Gremlin, "Yum, Yum." Those are the only two words that best describe these sugar cookies. I cannot tell you how many different sugar cookie recipes I tried and I felt much like Goldilocks must have felt when trying out the three bears' porridge and the beds. This cookie is too crisp, this cookie is too bland, but this cookie, well all I can say is, this cookie is just right.
Let me put things in perspective. If you like a crisp, buttery sugar cookie, this will definitely not be your bag. If you prefer a fluffy, cake-like cookie with a mild vanilla (or almond, depending on what kind of flavoring you prefer) then get out the mixer and preheat your oven because you will not be wronged by this recipe. These are my go-to cookies for any holiday and already my mom is calling me asking me where her cookie is.. Tsk, tsk, Mums. My mom realized how serious I was about this blog and how I felt about my readers when she learned I was sharing this recipe. She thought for sure I would take it to my grave without sharing it with one soul, but I love you all coming back to check in and I would never want to give you anything but the best, so here it is.
I dedicate this recipe to all of my Answers on Demand and the AIS friends that worked with such diligence and patience in making sure that the therapy team at Borgess Gardens was fitted successfully with our new rehab software. We love it. And a special thanks to Nate for putting up with my minor meltdown. These things can happen, I am sorry to say, but you dealt with it bravely and soldiered on. Thanks for putting up with me!!
And without further adieu, I present to you the porridge that was neither too hot or too cold and the bed that was neither too soft or too hard. It is....
The Best Sugar Cookie on Earth!!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Buttered Flavored Crisco (I know, I know. You're probably a little disappointed by this, but I just don't get the same results with butter. They are not as fluffy, but please feel free to try. It would be the same measurements if you would like to use regular butter. Let me know how it goes for you.)
3 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 TBSP vanilla extract or almond extract. (I use a higher end vanilla here because this is where the flavor comes from.)
1 tsp baking soda
1 16oz container sour cream. (Now, I have to share with you a funny. I thought I would try to 'lighten' the cookies up, you know, try to make Skinny Girl cookies. Believe me when I say this, don't do it. It's a cookie for crying out loud! It's not supposed to be healthy. Embrace the fat and simple carbs and hope that your will power will allow you to follow the golden rule of moderation.)
1 tsp salt
5-7 cups flour.
Directions:
Disclaimer: The dough needs to chill overnight so if you are looking for immediate gratification, go to the store and shop the cookie aisle.
1.) Place sour cream in the carton on a plate. Mix in the one tsp of baking soda and stir. Here is a little chemistry lesson. The baking soda is a leavening agent and releases carbon dioxide gas into the sour cream, making it rise. It might even go over the sides and that is why it's good to put it on a plate so that you can scrape that into the bowl when you are ready to add it. That's it for my chemistry. I was never very good at it despite having the best chemistry teacher ever. Thanks for trying, Mr. Kupiecki.
2.) Mix Butter Flavored Crisco, sugar, vanilla, and eggs with an electric mixer. Add salt
3.) Alternate adding the flour and sour cream mixture. I always use the whole 7 cups of flour.
4.) Put in bowl and cover. Chill overnight.
5.) Preheat oven to 375*
6.) Roll dough onto floured surface. Use cookie cutters and make cookie about 1/4" thick.
7.) Place on non-stick cookie sheet. I love my baking stones. These make sure that my cookies turn out perfect everytime. The trick is, the first batch takes a bit longer to bake because the stone is warming up, but every batch after takes less time. On average, the cookies should bake for about 8-12 minutes until the top is firm to touch but the bottoms are slightly golden. Mmm...mmm... good.
8.) Like this:
Oh, my precious!
9.) For the frosting, this gets sticky, pardon the pun. I don't have an exact recipe as my Grandma Bishop never gave it to me. It was just by eyeballing the ingredients which are real butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, milk. That's it. Bascially, I start with a stick of butter and melt it in a saucepan on the stove. Once it's melted, I remove the pan from the stove and add the powdered sugar. I add enough in until it forms a ball in the pan. Then I add about a TBSP of vanilla and enough milk to get it to the right consistency. They call it Burnt Butter Frosting. It is so good and is what adds the true flavor. But feel free to try your own favorite frosting whether it be buttercream, cream cheese, or the Royal Icing Frosting which looks pretty, but a kind that I never really cared for.
Make it just right for you, Goldilocks, and you will be one happy little home invader. Enjoy!
