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Sugar Cookies

Olga Spitsa

Sugar Cookie with Royal Icing is a yearly tradition around Christmas time for us.  I don't make them any other time of year because I will eat them ALL for breakfast with black coffee in one sitting.  Its dangerous. I don't love to work out so the sugar intake around the Holidays really does turn into fat, sigh. 

Every year I google search "the perfect sugar cookie" and I get a recipe that I try.  This year, I went with one of my mom's recipes. loved it!

Ingredients :

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or almond extract
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (you don't have to level the top) my mom used buttermilk but, I don't use it for anything else so I didn't want to waste the remainder of the bottle, sour cream it is. 
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick, softened an at room temp)

Royal Icing - I use Martha Stewart's recipe http://www.marthastewart.com/857635/royal-icing 

  • 2 egg whites
  • 4 cups of confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
  • Juice from one lemon
  • Instead of lemon juice, I used 2 drops of lemon essential oil and that flavor was amazing ! Next year I'm going to try Peppermint essential oil, it's going to be amazing. - I'll let you know how that goes. 
  • Beat the whites until stiff but not dry. Add sugar, lemon juice and glycerin (if using); beat for 1 minute more. If icing is too thick, add more egg whites; if it is too thin, add more sugar. The icing may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. - per Martha Stewart

Or a Cream Cheese Frosting: 

  • 2 sticks butter ( one cup) room temp
  • 4 cups powder sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk ( add more to thin it out if you like)
  • 1 tsp almond extract

start with beating the butter to soften, add powder sugar, milk and almond extract, and food coloring if using. 

To get started for the cookies, sift flour, baking soda and salt, set aside.  Using a mixer, beat together eggs and sugar until pale yellow, whip in sour cream, softened butter, then add the vanilla or almond extract - whatever one your using. I usually use almond extract when I'm making sugar cookies, because some people in the family don't like royal icing and just eat the cookies plain.  The almond extract gives them a little something yummy.  Turn the mixer to "stir" and add in the flour mixture.  Fold the dough out on parchment paper, wrap it up, and refrigerate for an hour.  When it's time to roll out the dough, divide it into 4 parts.  Roll out the dough thick for a soft cookie, then use cookie cutters to press out desired shape.  I usually roll out a thin one from my left over dough for the boys to go nuts with- we still bake those cookies because those are theirs and the boys are pretty proud of them.

Yes, my son took a break from eating his m&m creation and ran around the house with his goggles on his head, came back and decorated some more. Talk about sugar high... Like I said - once a year deal. Oh, but I really love it.  I love the holidays.  I love all the baking, cooking, eating, parties, giving gifts, getting gifts, decorating, seeing all the cards in the mail, and dirty kitchens by the end of the night, covered in flour. - hash tag WORTHIT.