Sugar cookies, the good ones

For years, I have searched and searched to find a recipe for the really good sugar cookies.  Not the ones that get all flat and hard, but the nice soft, fluffy ones that you decorate.  I knew that the key was the cream of tartar somewhat, but never seemed to get the rest of it right.  Honestly, my favorite part of the sugar cookies is the sugar cookie dough.  Oh man, it makes my mouth water...

So last year, as I was continuing my search for the perfect sugar cookie recipe, I got a daily devotion delivered right to my E-mail inbox with the best sugar cookie recipe I have been able to find.  There is NOTHING healthy about them, they have a cup of butter, a cup of oil, two cups of powder and regular sugar, two eggs and four-and-a-half cups of flour.  Nope, not one thing healthy about them, but they are so good.   And depending on what you want to do with them, you can make them as thick or as thin as you want. 

I've made two batches of dough total.  Sunday I made the first batch and stuck it in the freezer.  I don't need the four dozen Christmas Sugar Cookies until Wednesday so I thought that was safe.  Not.  Jay got home and wanted us to make oatmeal cookies...no way, I already made sugar cookie dough today.  Oh, you did?!  The recipe says to make it and divide into two separate portions and then chill or freeze.  So my family and I ate one-half of the first batch of cookie dough, raw, right out of that container.  What is wrong with us?!  (But it was soooo good.)

Last night I made the second batch and then went ahead and baked all the cookies.  In this recipe they suggest just rolling them in balls and baking them, but I used cookie cutters this time and they came out just fine.  I experimented with them a little in thickness (I like them thick) and either way, they turned out great.  They are ready to ice and decorate.  This recipe calls for cream cheese in the icing and I think I'll try it.  (The youth kids won't know it has cream cheese in it, right?!) 

This morning when we woke up, Strike Wilhoit, our Elf on the Shelf, had gotten into the cookies and had sprinkles all over himself and the counter.  He had decorated his own gingerbread man cookie.  He's so ornery.  His orneriness made me think I needed to eat a cookie and so I did.  And even baked and without icing, they are delicious.

So here is a link to these yummy sugar cookies.  I know my friend I call Beth likes this recipe too.  Maybe it's nothing new or fancy, but it was what I was looking for!  I have a feeling you'll love them too.

http://www.shecooks.org/2010/12/sugar-cookies/