This is my Grams recipe for sugar cookies — these melt in your mouth and are just wonderful.
I would not use these for icing/decorating style cookies – there are other recipes better suited for decorating — this contains too much oil/butter, and really won’t hold up well with heavy icings. Just a sprinkle of sugar, before baking, or some powdered sugar very lightly sprinkled over top after they have completely cooled if you must. I almost never add anything to these.
I’ve changed out the vanilla for almond flavoring, and pressed a sliced almond into the cookie before baking and had good success with it as well.
Enjoy!
The Best Sugar Cookies
(aka Grams Sugar Cookies)
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Cup Softened Butter
1 Cup Cooking Oil
2 eggs
4 1/2 cups Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cream of Tarter
1 tsp Vanilla
Cream the sugars, butter and oil until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla, and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cream of tarter. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until combined.
You can spoon these onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and flatten. Bake at 375, for 10-12 minutes.
OR
You can chill these 2-3 hours, and roll out, and use as for cutouts. Bake as above.
You can sprinkle these with a light coating of powdered sugar once completely cooled.
These keep about 1 week, in a tightly covered container.
My notes:
Gram used Lard, but I use softened butter.
I like these as cutouts, so I lay the dough on a piece of saran wrap, flatten, lay another piece of saran wrap on top and roll out. I then chill for at least an hour before cutouts are made. Repeat the process once the dough has softened.
Also, I make this in large batches (4-5 batches), lay out as above with the saran wrap in small batches, and freeze. Let dough thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Also, I have made this as a ‘slicing log’ — i.e….. I’ve rolled it up into a log shape, refrigerated and sliced and baked. This also freezes well.
I like these cookies a little on the ‘thick’ side.
