Mamaw's Sugar Cookies
Don’t tell me you aren’t a “sugar cookie person” until you try THESE sugar cookies. I’ve tried the fancy buttery bakery ones… I’m not impressed, they taste like flour to me. These, my friends, are pure sugary deliciousness!
My mom, sister, and me have been making these for Christmas, Easter, and Halloween, since before I can remember. This recipe is my Mamaw’s and I think she got it out of a Better Homes and Garden cookbook from WAY back when. Back then our kitchen was always an explosion of flour, sticking icing, and sprinkles covering the floor, but I know it brought our family pure joy!
Now I make them with my boys. Last year I did all the cutting and decorating with them and it was a little much for me. This year I rolled, cut and baked the cookies beforehand and we decorated them out in the garage with friends - I used our blower to clean up the floor… Ha! One day they’ll be old enough to help with everything… not at 2 and 4 years, though… YIKES!
If you’re not a huge almond extract fan (used in the icing), my mom traditionally uses vanilla. I love the almond.
I hope these cookies become a lasting tradition for you like they’ve been for us!
Mamaw's Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cream of tarter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup melted shortening
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 1/2 Tablespoons milk (or more, if too thick)
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- food coloring (optional, we do red, green, white, blue, and purple most of the time)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt and cream of tarter. Stir with a whisk to combine.
- In a mixer, add the sugar and the melted shortening. Mix on medium speed until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the flour in 3-4 scoops and mix until it forms into a dough ball. Careful not to cover mix. Remove dough from the mixer and form into a ball. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll chilled dough 1/8 inch thick on a floured cold surface (like a countertop) and cut with cookie cutters. Place on a baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes. (I recommend checking them starting at 8 minutes. I always take mine out before they are slightly golden. This lends to it being a soft cookie rather than crunchy, as they continue to cook after being removed from the oven.)
- Allow cookies to cool.
- To prepare the icing, combine all the ingredients and mix by hand or with a hand mixer. If the icing is too think add milk about 1/4 teaspoon at a time - it will liquify quickly!
- Separate icing into separate bowls and add food coloring to each bowl as desired.
Notes:
The cookies tend to spread out when baking if the dough is too warm so work quickly when cutting them out. I usually keep the remaining dough in the fridge while I work with small pieces at a time to cut out the cookie shapes