Sugar Cookies

This is the easiest sugar cookies recipe I have tried. They also don't need to refrigerate before you roll them out so they are much faster to prepare. Once again, the key it cooking them the right amount of time.

The dough should not be runny at all.

Use wax or parchment paper to roll them out on. Roll them to 1/4 inch thickness for about 5 1/2 minutes cooking and 1/2 inch for thicker cookies that take about 7 minutes to cook. I feel they roll just fine without being refrigerated however, if you pick an intricate cookie cutter they won't be too easy if you are having trouble put the dough in a sealed bag and refrigerate for an hour and try again.

I rolled these cookies to 1/4 inch. My cookie cutters were large enough so I figured I wasn't going for gigantic cookies.

Spread them out because they will get bigger as they bake:)

These cookies shouldn't get color in the oven. They will stay light. Once they start cracking on the surface they are DONE. Take them out and put them on a cooling rack immediately.

Those last two pics here my kids' creations. For these I made a quick glaze for them. I usually just frost them from store bought frosting which I LOVE!! I used to bring a can of funfetti frosting to school for lunch. No joke. But recently I have been trying to make things on my own. Your choice:) I'll include the glaze in case you want to try it out. P.S. I would take the canned stuff over homemade any day. But these cookies are better than store bought hands down.

Sugar Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix the first 3 ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Cream shortening with hand mixer or kitchen Aide. Gradually add sugar, eggs, vanilla and dry ingredients.  Bake at 375 degrees for 5 1/2 to 7 minutes depending on how thick you rolled them out. See picture above for more details about baking.

Glaze


2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 teaspoons milk
4 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoons vanilla ( didn't use this and flavored it with cherry flavoring but you can use whatever)
food coloring of your choice

Mix ingredients with hand mixture until fully mixed. Dip or paint on cookies.