Sugar Cookies from Little Yellow Barn

Sugar Cookies - made April 20, 2014 from Little Yellow Barn

This is going to be a short post as I've been really busy lately. I know I keep saying that but it's still true, even more so because I've been gone all week on a business trip. I didn't have much time last weekend to work on my blog although I did bake a few things to bring to my coworkers this week. But weekends are usually when I not only bake but also do the write ups to publish later in the week. But the last couple of weekends have been booked so I haven't been able to get ahead as much as I would have liked. Hence the post and run nature of this one.

Although the original name is "Frosted" Sugar Cookies, your discerning eye will note there is no frosting on any of these cookies. Didn't have time to make it and I'm not a frosting person so I just made the cookie dough, froze in into thick discs and baked it off the night before I brought it into work. No time or inclination for frosting. But you can click on the blog title above to go to the original recipe from Little Yellow Barn if you want to make the frosting for these.

I liked these cookies. They spread a little more than I could've wished but they were still a respectable thickness. The dough was a little soft hence why I think they spread more even though I did freeze the dough first. I confess to baking longer than 8 minutes because in my oven, at 8 minutes, the cookies still looked raw. I think I went as long as 10-12 minutes but you'll need to experiment with your oven and see what works best. You definitely don't want to overbake these or they'll be cakey. Bake until the edges are light golden brown and the middle doesn't look so doughy anymore. These were exactly how I like my sugar cookies, not too sweet but nicely chewy.

1 cup butter
1 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Cream butter and shortening together until combined. Add both sugars and mix until blended. Add eggs and vanilla extract.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together and gradually add the butter mixture until combined. Do not overmix. Portion dough into golf-ball-sized dough balls and flatten slightly into thick discs. Freeze overnight.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.