Awesome Sugar Cookies

I have my last batch of these in the oven right now, so I thought I'd share...I got this recipe from allrecipes.com (recipe author is Jill Saunders). Sorry I don't have a picture...my camera batteries died!:

Ingredients:
3/4 c. butter, softened (I tried these with margarine and they work...but MUCH better with real butter! Soften just until they get mushy, but still hold their shape - you don't want it melted)
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least 1 hour (or overnight).

2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Each single recipe makes about 2 1/2 cookie sheets worth of cookies...

My variations:

*Reduce the flour to 2 1/4 c. and add 1/4 c. of cocoa to make chocolate sugar cookies - perfect for bats and black cats for Halloween! Or...Thanksgiving turkeys!

*We did a second batch (regular recipe) and added a few drops of red and yellow food coloring to make orange pumpkin cookies, too. You could change up the color for any holiday - the above recipe doesn't make a ton of cookies, so you can easily make a couple of batches up in different colors.


Sandy Z.
Wyoming