The Perfect Sugar Cookie

After about 9 years of searching and experimenting, I have found the ideal decorating sugar cookie.  A few years ago, I plopped myself down on the floor of my local library in the middle of the baking cook book aisle and poured over book after book until I found the perfect recipe.  I've tweaked quite a bit and have played with it a couple of times since.  Here is the recipe, along with some pictures of the different cookies I've made with this recipe since discovering this gem.

4th of July Treat

Deliciously Soft Sugar Cookies

11 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 tablespoon 2% milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour

1. Mix butter alone until creamy.  Add sugar and baking powder.  Beat until thoroughly blended.  Stir in egg, milk, and vanilla.  Add flour one cup at a time, mixing completely before adding the second cup.  Chill dough in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.  
2. Sprinkle flour on a flat, clean surface and roll out one handful of refrigerated cookie dough, leaving the rest in the fridge.  Place dough on floured surface and roll to a roughly circular shape, no less than 1/4 of an inch thick.  I prefer to cover the dough with a piece of wax paper to keep it from sticking to the rolling pin.  Do not use parchment paper.
3. Cut into your favorite shapes and place on an un-greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 for 8-9 cookies.  For soft, tasty cookies, do NOT brown.  Cool cookies on wire rack.  Yields roughly 25 cookies.

Smooth Decorating Frosting**

3 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons milk  (substitute orange juice or lemon juice for flavor)
1 tsp vanilla

1. Sift powdered sugar.  I hate doing this and sometimes skip it, but for truly smooth frosting, you can't omit this.  Add milk (or juice) and vanilla.  Stir well, make sure you scrape all the powdered sugar from the sides and incorporate it.
2. It's a creamy white, so add food coloring or gels for color.
3. Pipe the outline of your decorations.  I use a regular piping bag.  Bakerella suggests condiment bottles.
4. Once you are completely outlined, add a little more milk/juice to your frosting so it is slightly thinner than before.  Drizzle the frosting within the piped border and spread with a toothpick.  Allow to harden for several hours (I usually do overnight).  For more instructions, see Bakerella's site.

**I'm not quite this precise anymore.  I pour as much powdered sugar as I think I need into a bowl, then splash milk into the bowl.  I continue to add powdered sugar/milk until I've balanced the right consistency.  It works for me because I'm a) lazy and b) doing several different colors at once.  Use your judgement.

These have been a hit at holiday parties, with the kiddos, and as my Christmas gifts for coworkers.  This past Christmas, I added in some nutmeg and clove to the flour before stirring it in with the rest of the cookie batter for a little Christmas cheer.  I never did get to eat one, but they smelled heavenly.  Feel free to experiment and play with this recipe!  Also, I always at least double the recipe as it produces so few.  I have successfully tripled it as well.


Good luck, and happy decorating!