Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies - made dough February 15, 2016 from The Domestic Rebel

I think I have to get over my prejudice in using oil in recipes. My first inclination is I only want to bake with butter but I have to admit, in the right recipe, oil serves a good purpose. And it’s the right recipe in this one for sugar cookies. The oil helps prevent the cookie from spreading too much and it adds a crispness to the edges while still keeping the rest of the cookie moist. I’m still a butter girl but I can’t argue with oil in this recipe.

Next to an amazing chocolate chip cookie, my next favorite is a good sugar cookie. And this is a good sugar cookie. I like the simplicity of the recipe and, unlike my penchant for tinkering with plain brownie recipes to fancy them up, I prefer to keep my sugar cookies as plain as possible so you get the full hit of that sugary, buttery goodness with nothing to interfere with the taste. Love it.

Just make sure you beat the butter until it's creamy and there are no lumps. I like to beat the butter first before I add the other ingredients. If you combine the oil and butter while the butter is still cold or lumpy, it's harder to get the lumps out after all the oil or eggs are in.

Oh and don't let their modest, homemade appearance fool you - this is a really delicious cookie.

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1 cup oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Additional granulated sugar, for rolling

1. In a large bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, oil, sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla and eggs until creamed and well combined, about 2 minutes. 
2. Add in the baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and flour; gently mix until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a cookie dough scoop, portion into golf-ball-size dough balls and roll in the additional sugar. Evenly space on baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
4. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are golden brown and middles no longer look raw. Do not overbake.