Sugar Cookies

This is my favorite sugar cookie recipe. They are soft all the way through, but still maintain the delicate crumb of a cookie.

The frosting recipe is included.

In a medium bowl stir flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Set aside.

With the wire wisk of an electric mixer cream the butter, shortening, and sour cream until light and fluffy 3-4 minutes.

Add the sugar, (1)brown sugar, and powdered sugar. Beat another 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, beat until incorporated.

Switch to the paddle attachment and add the dry mixture. Mix until the flour is just incorporated. The dough will be quite soft. Refrigerate 30 minutes. This will make it easier to roll out, and will require less additional flour to shape.

Lightly flour the work surface or flour a (2)canvas mat.

Roll out (3)1/2 inch thick.

Cut into desired (4)shapes.

Place on a cookie sheet, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate 20-30 minutes. You can freeze them at this point up to 4 months, or refrigerate them up to 3 days.

Place 12 cookies a few inches apart on a jellyroll pan or large cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 8-10 minutes. They should be crackly on top, but not browning. Remove to a cooling rack. Frost when completely cooled.

With the wire wisk of an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy 2-3 minutes.

Add the powdered sugar and beat until it (5)comes together.

This is how it looks after the first minute. It's tempting to add the liquid at this point, but keep beating it and it will come together.

This is how it looks after 3 minutes of beating.

Add the salt, vanilla, milk, and food coloring. Beat 2-3 minutes.

Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to two weeks.

Frost, sprinkle, and enjoy!

Problems

Too much flour: Too much flour will ruin them. They will be dry and hard.

Too little flour: If there is not enough flour, they will spread too much when baked.

Overbaking: The cookies may not look done when you pull them out, but don't let them brown or they will not be as soft.

Too much sour cream: As I experimented the addition of sour cream helped soften them. Too much sour cream however really cut in on the flavor and made them too pliable. This recipe is a great balance of softness and flavor.

Sugar Cookies

2 3/4 c (14 oz) flour
1/2-3/4 t salt (a slightly heaping 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t cream of tartar
1/2 c (4 oz) butter
1/2 c (4 oz) shortening
1/4 c sour cream
1/3 c (3 oz) sugar
2 T (1 oz) light brown sugar
1/2 c (2 oz) pwd sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1 ex large egg
 
In a medium bowl stir flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Set aside.

With the wire wisk of an electric mixer cream the butter, shortening, and sour cream until light and fluffy 3-4 minutes. Add the sugar, (1)brown sugar, and powdered sugar. Beat another 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, beat until incorporated.

Switch to the paddle attachment and add the dry mixture. Mix until the flour is just incorporated. The dough will be quite soft. Refrigerate 30 minutes. This will make it easier to roll out, and will require less additional flour to shape.

Lightly flour the work surface or flour a (2)canvas mat. Roll out (3)1/2 inch thick. Cut into desired (4)shapes. Place on a cookie sheet, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate 20-30 minutes. You can freeze them at this point up to 4 months, or refrigerate them up to 3 days.

Place 12 cookies a few inches apart on a jellyroll pan or large cookie sheet. Bake at 375 8-10 minutes. They should be crackly on top, but not browning. Remove to a cooling rack. Frost when completely cooled.

Use Vanilla Buttercream or

Frosting
If your house is very warm the frosting becomes too soft, you can replace some of the butter with shorteninng to make it more stable.

1/2 c unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 t salt
8 oz powdered sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1 T milk
food coloring

With the wire wisk of an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy 2-3 minutes. It is tempting to add the liquid at this point because the mixture looks dry and powdery. Continue to beat it and will (5)come together. Add the salt, vanilla, milk, and food coloring. Beat 2-3 minutes. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator up to two weeks.

Notes
1. Brown sugar adds more flavor, and softens the cookie a bit. You can substitute an equal amount of white sugar if you don't have brown.
2. A canvas baking mat and rolling pin sleeve are wonderful for soft rolls, pie crusts, sugar cookies, and many other soft doughs. You can flour them generously and the excess flour works into the mat and the sleeve leaving the dough soft. You can get them for $10 on http://www.thebakersplace.com/pastrymat.html.
3. Rolling these out 1/2 inch thick, may seem a bit thick, but they are best this way. They will bake soft all the way through.
4. I like to use a small biscuit cutter. The dough freezes well, so I use them for multiple holidays without fussing over different shapes.
5. When the liquid is added too early, it's tempting to add too much. Then you have to add more powdered sugar to make up for it. This of course makes the frosting too sweet, and it tastes too much like powdered sugar.