Sugar cookies have been a favorite of children and adults for years. The simplicity of taste and ease of making them enables them to be made even by those who are not expert cooks. Sugar cookies are also very versatile. They can be made round or in different shapes. They can be sprinkled with plain or colored sugar. They can be decorated with colored icings and decorated with chocolate chips and candied fruits. No matter how you serve them everyone will want more.
Sugar cookies have been made for quite a long time. The modern recipe was invented by immigrants coming from the Dutch lands to America and eventually called Pennsylvania Dutch. The recipe was very popular and soon it was known all over the world. Pennsylvania adopted the cookie as the state cookie in 2001.
Some say that the sugar cookie started way before that. They surmise that around the 7th century someone decided to make small cakes that were made in order to test the temperature of the oven. They did not want these cakes to go to waste so they sold them as small cakes which were made from sugar. In France small sugar cakes were called gimblettes and in Italy they were called cimbellines.
On variety of sugar cookie is fluffy and light and they become quite tall while in the oven baking. There is a bit of crunch to the edge but the middles are soft and sweet. Another variety is made where the cookie is a little harder and crisp. Both are wonderfully sweet and tasty.
In many recipes you roll the dough flat and use cookie cutters to cut it into different shapes. These type are favorites for many different holidays. They can be made into hearts on St. Valentines Day. They can be cut out in bunny or egg shape for Easter. Pumpkins can be cut out for Halloween. Cut out turkey cookies to celebrate Thanksgiving. The most popular are made a Christmas in various shapes including Christmas trees and Santa.
The following Soft Sugar Cookie recipe is made with confectioners' sugar instead of granulated sugar. They come out soft and fluffy. Do not try to use cookie cutters with this recipe because the cookie is to soft to make them that way.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl cream one half pound softened butter then add one cup confectioners' sugar gradually. Add one egg, one teaspoon vanilla and mix well. In another bowl combine two cups flour and one half teaspoon baking soda. Mix well and start adding gradually to the mixture containing the egg. Once it has all been incorporated scoop out teaspoonful and shape into a one inch ball. Place two inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Take a fork and press each ball flat. Bake for about six minutes and remove from oven and let sit for five minutes. Remove cookies to a cooling rack. You can sprinkle each cookie with a little bit of granulated sugar before putting them into the oven if you would like. This makes about 5 dozen cookies.
The next recipe is a sugar cookie that is rolled flat and cut with cookie cutters. Using a large bowl take 1 and one half cups flour and sift it with two teaspoons of baking powder and 1 half teaspoon salt and place aside for later. In a bowl for the electric mixer place one cup butter and gradually add 1 and one half cups of granulated sugar. Beat until the mixture gets light and fluffy. In a small bowl beat 2 eggs. Add to the mixer with 1 tablespoon of milk and one teaspoon of vanilla. Slowly add 1 and a half additional flour until incorporated. The dough should not be stiff, but smooth so if it starts to stiffen stop adding the flour. Roll the entire bowl of dough into a ball and place it in wax paper to be placed in the refrigerator for a whole hour. Take out of the refrigerator and roll to about one fourth of an inch thick and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Sprinkle them with sugar or leave them alone to be decorated with colored icing after cooking. Put the shapes on non stick sprayed cookie sheets and bake in a 400 degree F oven for about 10 minutes or until the edges become lightly brown. Leave them on the cookie sheets for about 2 minutes then remove to a cooling rack.
Make sugar cookies a treat for your family. They will love finding them in the cookie jar. You can make them for holidays in different holiday shapes or enjoy them any time. - 29884
Sugar cookies have been made for quite a long time. The modern recipe was invented by immigrants coming from the Dutch lands to America and eventually called Pennsylvania Dutch. The recipe was very popular and soon it was known all over the world. Pennsylvania adopted the cookie as the state cookie in 2001.
Some say that the sugar cookie started way before that. They surmise that around the 7th century someone decided to make small cakes that were made in order to test the temperature of the oven. They did not want these cakes to go to waste so they sold them as small cakes which were made from sugar. In France small sugar cakes were called gimblettes and in Italy they were called cimbellines.
On variety of sugar cookie is fluffy and light and they become quite tall while in the oven baking. There is a bit of crunch to the edge but the middles are soft and sweet. Another variety is made where the cookie is a little harder and crisp. Both are wonderfully sweet and tasty.
In many recipes you roll the dough flat and use cookie cutters to cut it into different shapes. These type are favorites for many different holidays. They can be made into hearts on St. Valentines Day. They can be cut out in bunny or egg shape for Easter. Pumpkins can be cut out for Halloween. Cut out turkey cookies to celebrate Thanksgiving. The most popular are made a Christmas in various shapes including Christmas trees and Santa.
The following Soft Sugar Cookie recipe is made with confectioners' sugar instead of granulated sugar. They come out soft and fluffy. Do not try to use cookie cutters with this recipe because the cookie is to soft to make them that way.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl cream one half pound softened butter then add one cup confectioners' sugar gradually. Add one egg, one teaspoon vanilla and mix well. In another bowl combine two cups flour and one half teaspoon baking soda. Mix well and start adding gradually to the mixture containing the egg. Once it has all been incorporated scoop out teaspoonful and shape into a one inch ball. Place two inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Take a fork and press each ball flat. Bake for about six minutes and remove from oven and let sit for five minutes. Remove cookies to a cooling rack. You can sprinkle each cookie with a little bit of granulated sugar before putting them into the oven if you would like. This makes about 5 dozen cookies.
The next recipe is a sugar cookie that is rolled flat and cut with cookie cutters. Using a large bowl take 1 and one half cups flour and sift it with two teaspoons of baking powder and 1 half teaspoon salt and place aside for later. In a bowl for the electric mixer place one cup butter and gradually add 1 and one half cups of granulated sugar. Beat until the mixture gets light and fluffy. In a small bowl beat 2 eggs. Add to the mixer with 1 tablespoon of milk and one teaspoon of vanilla. Slowly add 1 and a half additional flour until incorporated. The dough should not be stiff, but smooth so if it starts to stiffen stop adding the flour. Roll the entire bowl of dough into a ball and place it in wax paper to be placed in the refrigerator for a whole hour. Take out of the refrigerator and roll to about one fourth of an inch thick and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Sprinkle them with sugar or leave them alone to be decorated with colored icing after cooking. Put the shapes on non stick sprayed cookie sheets and bake in a 400 degree F oven for about 10 minutes or until the edges become lightly brown. Leave them on the cookie sheets for about 2 minutes then remove to a cooling rack.
Make sugar cookies a treat for your family. They will love finding them in the cookie jar. You can make them for holidays in different holiday shapes or enjoy them any time. - 29884
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