Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe

I have a huge binder that I keep a bunch of recipes in and I used to pull it out every time that I was baking.  Sadly, only half of the recipes that I had fit into it.  It was huge and overstuffed and barely fit on the shelf.  I got two different (and very pretty) Hallmark cookbooks for my wedding shower over 11 years ago so I decided that I would use one of them to put all of the recipes that I actually made over and over into.

Inside the new condensed cookbook, I don't have to ask myself... "Is this the oatmeal cookie recipe that I use or is this other one?"  Which usually got answered based on which ever one was dirtier or I had to call my mother.  Seeing that this wasn't the best method, I added recipes after they were made a few times to my cookbook which is on a stand in the kitchen.  It includes pumpkin bread, banana bread, applesauce bread, chocolate chip cookies and American Sandwich Bread (which I actually make without the recipe now because I do it so often).

Did you hear a recipe for sugar cookies in there?  Nope!!  I had to go to the basement (sadly where the cookbook is now that I don't have a wonderful bookcase in my kitchen like my old house) and find all of the sugar cookie recipes.  Then I had to figure out which one of them I used.

I knew it was one of the ones from my middle school home ec class (Thanks Mrs. Lucey) but I wasn't sure past that.  I looked at the ingredients.  I didn't have sour cream so that was out.  I didn't remember using confectioners sugar so that was out.  I went with Edith's Cookies... and no I don't know who that is but I remember it being in a paper that my teacher gave me and we made them.  I came home and saved it but rarely make it because I hate rolling out the cookie dough!!  Although the finished product is really good, I don't really have the patience for all that work but I needed cut out cookies for my class Halloween party so I set to work making them.

I pulled out the vegetable shortening, butter and coconut butter to mix to get the needed fat in the recipe with 1/4 cup yet.

I mixed the butters and shortening with the sugar.  I added in the eggs and vanilla.

 I added the flour, baking powder and salt into the mixture to add the wet to the dry ingredients.

It quickly mixed in to make a great dough.

I scraped the bowl and put the dough in a big ball and put it in the fridge.  It needed to be a little bit of time in the fridge so I left to get my son at school while it cooled.

 I put the dough on a floured surface.  I used the rolling pin to roll the dough out.  I cut out the round cookies to make cookies to decorate.  The great news is that it was still easy to re-roll the dough when there were leftovers even though I am sure that I should have chilled them again.

I got lots of round cookies which were nice and crispy but barely brown.

 Then, we got to decorate them with icing and lots of toppings.  These were the ones that I made at home.  My son and I enjoyed them with icing and my husband enjoyed them plain.  They weren't very sugary but they were an interesting treat more like a shortbread cookie.  I can't wait to make them again with sugar crystals on them before they are baked.  That is my favorite way to make them because it is easiest to make and still yummy to eat.

They were super tasty and we really enjoyed them and I hope that you will to.  They are great for any holiday or occasion.  I hope that you make them and enjoy them as much as we did.

Edith's Sugar Cookie Cut Outs

3/4 c. Part Butter and Shortening
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. lemon extract or 1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Mix shortening, butter, sugar, eggs and extract together until creamed.  Add dry ingredients, flour, baking powder and salt and mix until combined. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Roll out to 1/8 inch thickness on floured surface with floured rolling pin.  Cut with a 3 inch cookie cutter and place on ungreased cookie sheet or silpat.  Bake 6-8 minutes or until very lightly brown on the edge of the cookies.   Decorate or Eat Plain.