Delicious Sugar Cookies

   
If I had to identify my one signature baking item, it would have to be these cookies.  I have been making them for years and years and years and if I am honest, I have to say that I think I have the recipe perfected.  Since the birth of my first daughter, 8 years ago, not one birthday party for her or for my 2 year-old has happened without these cookies serving as part of the take-home goodies.  I am not even a huge fan of sugar cookies, but for some reason, these are different.

    As with many of my recipes, this one was found by either my mom or my grandmother.  We have been making them for so long that I truly don't remember which one it was.  No matter who found them, we are ALL grateful! 

   I remember many a Christmas where we would gather together in my grandmother's kitchen to churn out batch after batch of these sugar cookies.  My Uncle Bryan loves them and so for many years, my mom would fill up this giant tin with cookies just for him.  One year, when Uncle Bryan worked for the Forestry Service, he had the honor of escorting the White House Christmas Tree through at least part of Virginia.  Mom worked for hours to bake pan after pan of Christmas tree cookies for his special tin.

   My mom is the one who first had this recipe published in a hometown cookbook and it was there that she named them "Delicious Sugar Cookies."  The title needs nothing more.  They are simply delicious.

   I have multiple boxes of cookie cutters for every season that I have dragged from many an apartment to townhouse to our own first house because these cookies are so perfect for any occasion.  I love to gather around my island with my girls to make them and in fact, my littlest one and I just made a batch this past week so that she could share them with her friends at school.  She is becoming quite the sugar sprinkler!

   Be very, very, very careful not to cut these too thinly or to bake them too long.  They should not be brown at all but rather the sides should be set.  They will continue to set up while they cool.

   I am including the recipe for the glaze, but I generally just sprinkle colored sugar on top of them before baking them and skip the glazing part.  They are delicious both ways, but in the interest of time, I go for the sugared approach. 

   On a parting note, these are perfect for leaving out for Santa . . .

Delicious Sugar Cookies  (click on title for a printable version)

3/4 C. salted butter, softened
1 C. sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs

2 3/4 C. all-purpose flour (Always and only White Lily for me)
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt

Glaze:

1 C. sifted powder sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
2 T. milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt together.  Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until well combined.  Add eggs and vanilla and continue to cream until light and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes.  Slowly add flour mixture and mix just until combined.  Be careful to not overbeat.

Chill dough for at least one hour.

On a flour-lined counter or board, roll out dough to no less than 1/4" thick.  Using cutters dipped in flour, cut cookies into various shapes and place them on the baking sheet.  Sprinkle with decorating sugar or bake as they are and glaze when they are cool.

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or just until sides are set.  DO NOT LET THEM GET BROWN!

Cool completely if you are planning to glaze the cookies.

For the glaze, mix the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk together until smooth, thinning with more milk if necessary.  You can tint the glaze with color if you desire.  Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze.