Sugar Cookies

You know those sugar cookies that EVERY grocery store sells. You know which ones I'm talking about. The big puffy ones with just as puffy frosting, soft, and come in every color depending on what holiday is closest. There you go, now you know which ones I'm talking about. I bought those a while back and tried to convince Stan to eat one. He took one bite and said, "You know what I miss? I miss these crappy hard sugar cookies that my grandma used to have around the holidays." I asked for a little further clarification. This is what I got, "They were thin and hard. And the icing was hard too. Can you make me some of those?"

How is a girl supposed to live up to those sort of expectations? Well I created my own rolled sugar cookie recipe that rocks! Then I added some corn syrup to good old fashioned powdered sugar icing. And finally I attempted to remake these beloved hard sugar cookies.

Did I succeed in remaking Stan's favorite childhood cookies? No.
Did I succeed in making a delicious sugar cookie recipe that overtakes those grocery store ones as my favorite? You betcha!

This cookie dough is a great rolled cookie recipe. The dough keeps it shape throughout baking, making it ideal for cookie cutters. I don't know about you but I love making fun shaped sugar cookies for holidays. Make this your go-to rolled sugar cookie recipe stat!


Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
5 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

In bowl of mixer, cream together butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time and vanilla, scraping bowl after each addition. Add flour, one cup at a time, baking powder and salt. Once combined cover and chill dough for at least one hour, preferably over night.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. While preheating, roll dough on lightly floured surface until it's about 1/4 inch thick. Using whatever cookie cutter you feel like cut into shapes. Place cookies 1 inch apart on parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake 6-8 minutes or until edges begin to golden. Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Sugar Cookie Glaze
(Recipe from King Arthur Flour)


2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1 1/2-2 Tbsp. milk
food coloring (optional)

In a small bowl, whisk together first three ingredients until smooth. Add food coloring, if desired. Spread glaze on one cookie. If it doesn't smooth out after about 1 minute, add 1/2 tsp. milk at a time, until glaze reaches correct consistency.

This glaze dries hard and shiny, great for decorating. Be sure to measure accurately with this glaze. Too little milk makes it tough to work with. And too much can result in splotches developing overnight.