Don’t know about you, but I’ve never been a big fan of sugar cookies in general.  Sure, they’re pretty to look at Christmas-time with all of their various shapes and decorations.  Other than that, though, they’re pretty blah, usually stale, and seem like a big ole waste of calories in general.  Why not hold tight until something with chocolate comes along?  They were pretty low on the hierarchy of sweets until the Great Awakening took place.  A packaged mix was just fine with me.  They were just sugar cookies after all, more for decoration that anything else.

Well, it all changed right before Thanksgiving when my friend Denise found this magical recipe online.  It dates back to Sweden in 1877, an oldie but goodie.  She got her ingredients in a row and started a bake-a-thon.  After one bite, just be polite of course, I was hooked — as in the whole hook, line, and sinker!  In the spirit of Julia Child, I agree there can never be too much butter.  (No wonder why everyone thought she was such a great cook!)  But now I have learned a corollary to the Butter Doctrine — you absolutely can’t go wrong when butter AND shortening are involved, especially in large quantities.

So I’m off to soften not one but two sticks of butter to make another batch.  Soon I may need pants that are a size bigger, but what a way to go down, right?

Bon appetit!

LibbY

PS If you make these delectable cookies, take heed of Denise’s brilliant idea.  Before flattening the dropped cookie dough, dip the glass in flour so the dough doesn’t stick to the glass!  It’s the simple things that matter in life, and this is one of them!

PPS They also freeze very well!

Sugar Cookies Recipe

• 30 Servings
• Prep: 30 min. Bake: 10 min.

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Spice Islands® pure vanilla extract
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Additional sugar

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda; gradually add to the creamed mixture.
• Shape into 1-in. balls. Roll in sugar. Place on greased baking sheet; flatten with a glass. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 5 dozen. 

  If Cooking for Two: Freeze baked cookies in airtight containers or freezer bags to enjoy anytime!

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Sugar-Cookies