Sugar Cookies

Today's post has nothing to do with menu planning. I'm making sugar cookies for my daughter's class, and it is our favorite sugar cookie recipe so I thought I'd share.  I was given this recipe by my friend, Whitney, years ago.  I believe she got it from her mom, and I'm not sure if she's the original source or if it came from somewhere else before that.  The cookies stay soft even a few days later, making it a great sugar cookie recipe for the holidays also.

We use the frosting recipe if we aren't stacking or packaging them, or a basic icing recipe if we don't want frosting on everything else they touch.  I'm including all three recipes, but the pictures are of the cookies with icing.  We also made these for valentine's day for the girl's classes and packaged them in white paper cd cases.  In fact, the whole reason they are being baked today was my daughter's after school group loved them on Monday and asked her if she would bring more today.

I do have one disclaimer with the cd case packaging, however.  The cd cases do not create an airtight seal.  This means your cookies will dry out faster regardless how moist and soft they are.  If at all possible, package the day you plan to deliver the cookies, or you can also use plastic wrap or a smaller plastic bag to seal the cookie in first before placing it in the paper cd case.

 

Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 c sugar

1/2 brick cream cheese

2/3 c butter, softened

2 eggs, beaten

2 Tbl milk

1 tsp vanilla

3 1/4 c flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Cream sugar, cream cheese and butter.  Add eggs, milk and vanilla.  Sift dry ingredients together and beat into creamed mixture combining thoroughly.  Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.   

Roll dough to approximately 1/4" thickness and cut shapes.

Bake at 400 for 8 minutes or until light brown on a LIGHTLY greased cookie sheet. (I usually line mine with parchment paper or pan liners.

Frosting

2 cubes soft butter

1/2 brick cream cheese

1 lb bag powdered sugar.

Mix together, add more butter or milk if needed. (Makes enough for two batches of generously frosted cookies.

Icing

2 c powdered sugar, sifted

2 Tbs milk

3 1/2 tsp light corn syrup

1/2 tsp almond extract 

1/2 tsp vanilla

liquid food coloring, if desired

Blend together milk and sugar.  Add the corn syrup, almond extract and vanilla.  Mix together until smooth.  If the icing is too thick add corn syrup, 1/2 tsp at a time.

Divide the icing into separate bowls and add coloring one drop at a time.

I usually pipe mine from a ziploc bag.  You can also spread the icing with the back of a spoon.

Allow the icing to dry before packaging or stacking.