Sugar cookies are often voted the best treat for both adults and children alike. They are very easy to make and the simple sugar taste makes them one of the most popular cookie around. These cookies can be made in several different ways. They can be plain round cookies or molded into various shapes. They can simply be plain or sprinkled with sugar. They can have icings applied in a rainbow of colors or they can have candied fruits or chocolate chips added. It does not matter how they are served, they will be loved by all.
The history of the sugar cookie is about as simple as the cookie itself. The recipe is mostly attributed to Dutch immigrants to America called the Pennsylvania Dutch made this cookie and the recipe when from there all over the United States. Everyone began to make this luscious cookie. In 2001 the State of Pennsylvania adopted it as the state cookie.
There were sugar cookies before the Dutch were making them. Bakers in the seventh century would test the temperature of their ovens by making small cakes made of sugar that would not matter if they burned or not. If they did not burn the oven was at the right temperature. It was not right to throw this cake away so they sold them as small sugar cakes. In France they were referred to as gimblettes and the Italian's sold cimbellines.
The texture of some cookies is airy and light and they raise very high while in the oven. They have a bit of crunch on the edges but are very soft and light. Still other cookies are dense and crisp. Recipes are different and you can find the one you remember as a child.
Many times sugar cookies are rolled out and cut with cookie cutters in to shapes. They are made for just about any holiday. On Valentine's day they can be made into hearts. For Easter they can be cut out as bunnies or eggs. Halloween can be exemplified by sugar cookie pumpkins. Make turkey shaped cookies for Thanksgiving. Christmas sugar cookies can be in all kinds of shapes from Santa Claus to the Christmas stocking.
The recipe below is a very soft cookie that uses confectioners' sugar and not the granulated variety of sugar. These cookies are light and fluffy so do not use cookie cutters to try and cut them. They will just fall apart if you try.
Turn your oven on to 350 degrees F. With an electric mixer cream 1 half pound of butter that has been softened and add 1 cup powdered sugar slowly. Include 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring mixing it in well. In a separate bowl mix 2 cups of flour and 1 half teaspoon baking soda. Combine and gradually add to the egg mixture. Take a teaspoonful of dough and roll it into a 1 inch ball. Place on a cookie sheet that has been greased 2 inches apart. Using the tines of a fork press each ball down so it flattens. Leave in the oven for 6 minutes then let the cookies stay on the sheets for 5 more minutes. Take them off the sheet and place them on a rack to cool. If you desire you can sprinkle the top of the cookies with a little granulated sugar before baking.
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 all times of the year instead of just during holidays. Make some for your friends and family and they will not last long. - 29885
The history of the sugar cookie is about as simple as the cookie itself. The recipe is mostly attributed to Dutch immigrants to America called the Pennsylvania Dutch made this cookie and the recipe when from there all over the United States. Everyone began to make this luscious cookie. In 2001 the State of Pennsylvania adopted it as the state cookie.
There were sugar cookies before the Dutch were making them. Bakers in the seventh century would test the temperature of their ovens by making small cakes made of sugar that would not matter if they burned or not. If they did not burn the oven was at the right temperature. It was not right to throw this cake away so they sold them as small sugar cakes. In France they were referred to as gimblettes and the Italian's sold cimbellines.
The texture of some cookies is airy and light and they raise very high while in the oven. They have a bit of crunch on the edges but are very soft and light. Still other cookies are dense and crisp. Recipes are different and you can find the one you remember as a child.
Many times sugar cookies are rolled out and cut with cookie cutters in to shapes. They are made for just about any holiday. On Valentine's day they can be made into hearts. For Easter they can be cut out as bunnies or eggs. Halloween can be exemplified by sugar cookie pumpkins. Make turkey shaped cookies for Thanksgiving. Christmas sugar cookies can be in all kinds of shapes from Santa Claus to the Christmas stocking.
The recipe below is a very soft cookie that uses confectioners' sugar and not the granulated variety of sugar. These cookies are light and fluffy so do not use cookie cutters to try and cut them. They will just fall apart if you try.
Turn your oven on to 350 degrees F. With an electric mixer cream 1 half pound of butter that has been softened and add 1 cup powdered sugar slowly. Include 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring mixing it in well. In a separate bowl mix 2 cups of flour and 1 half teaspoon baking soda. Combine and gradually add to the egg mixture. Take a teaspoonful of dough and roll it into a 1 inch ball. Place on a cookie sheet that has been greased 2 inches apart. Using the tines of a fork press each ball down so it flattens. Leave in the oven for 6 minutes then let the cookies stay on the sheets for 5 more minutes. Take them off the sheet and place them on a rack to cool. If you desire you can sprinkle the top of the cookies with a little granulated sugar before baking.
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 all times of the year instead of just during holidays. Make some for your friends and family and they will not last long. - 29885
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