The 12 Treats of Christmas: #11 Classic Sugar Cookies

NOTE: You’re wondering… Why is this weird baking post here? I posted this here by accident when trying to update over at Mommydo.ca – my other blog. I know it’s been a while since I’ve updated here. Wee Obi is doing well. She turns 1 on Sunday. Crazy! One Year Old. I’ll come and do a proper update this weekend. In the meantime, if you like to bake, these cookies really are tasty, simple sugar cookies worth trying.

I’ve got my binder open, and this recipe comes from a photocopy of a page from Chatelaine Magazine circa 1998. 15 years later, this is still my go-to sugar cookie recipe. As I said yesterday, I don’t have a photo yet, as we’re going to bake these over the weekend. But I find I like it when the dough chills for a good long while (overnight if possible), so I thought I’d post now so you too can get the batter together tomorrow and have a good old-fashioned cookie bake with the kids this weekend now that school is out.

You can find this recipe here on the Chatelaine site.

  Photo: Roberto Caruso

Classic Sugar Cookies

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Refrigeration Time: 60 minutes

Baking Time: 8 minutes

Makes: 96 cookies

Ingredients

• 5 – 5½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1¼ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2½ cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 4 tsp vanilla

Instructions

• In a large bowl, using a fork, stir 5 cups flour with baking powder and salt. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter with sugar on medium-high for 2 min. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down side of bowl as necessary. Then beat in vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, gradually stir in flour mixture just until evenly blended. (Over-mixing toughens cookies.)
• If dough is too sticky to form into a ball, stir in remaining ½ cup flour, 2 tbsp at a time, until dough is no longer sticky and easy to roll. (You may not need all the flour.) Divide dough into 4 portions. Shape each into a ball, then flatten slightly into a disc . Wrap separately with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 1 week. Or overwrap with heavy foil and freeze up to 1 month.
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375F. Lightly spray or oil 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough no thicker than ¼ in. (0.5 cm). Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter. Place on baking sheets, about 2 in. apart. Bake in centre of preheated oven until cookies are pale golden, 8 to 10 min, depending on thickness. Place cookie sheet on a rack for 5 min. Then remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.