On the Eleventh Day of Christmas...Iced Sugar Cookies

Today I managed to scratch one thing off of my bucket list.  I've finally made a decent batch of sugar cookies!  I'm so happy and feel so accomplished.


I've always messed up sugar cookies.  I overcook them or I burn them.  I never seem to get them right.  Even when I buy the Pillsbury already made dough.  I just sucked at it.  My friend Courtney makes really good sugar cookies so I asked if she would give me her recipe.  And she did.


Courtney's Sugar Cookies 

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar 

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla 

2 cups all purpose flour

Beat butter and shortening on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, baking powder and a dash of salt.  Beat til combined, scraping the bowl.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.  Stir in remaining flour.  Divide the dough in half  Cover and chill for 3 hours or until easy to handle.  

On a slightly floured surface, roll half at a time to 1/8 inch thick.  Cut out with cookie cutters.  Place on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees  for 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned.  Cool on rack.   Makes approximately 18 cookies.  

ICING:  

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp milk

1 tbsp  light corn syrup

1/4 tsp almond extract

assorted food coloring 

In a small bowl stir together powdered sugar and milk until smooth.  You may need to stir in more milk to get smooth.  Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy.  If the icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.  

Divide into separate bowls and add food coloring to each desired intensity.  Dip cookies or paint them with a brush.  

I was so pleased to have finally made one decent batch of sugar cookies.  These cookies are not as soft as I'd like them to be but only because I rolled them on the thin side.  That's the great thing about sugar cookies.  If you're a fan of the thin, crispy cookie you can roll them on the thin side.  If you like them soft you can roll them to 1/2 inch thick. Now that I know this, I'll be sure to do the 1/2 inch cookies. 

And by the way, I still don't have a hand mixer so this was all stirred the old fashion way.  And boy, can my wrist tell it!  Seriously, I need to get a new hand mixer.  

TIP: You may want to leave the dough out for a bit before rolling.  The dough will be really firm once you take it out of the fridge.  

Stars tend to cut on the thin side, especially at the points.  Keep that in mind if you're wanting really soft cookies.  

Tomorrow:  Peanut Butter Blossoms  (my favorite!)

Thanks, 
Jules