Most of the cookie how-tos were actually tried-and-true vintage recipes that had been passed down from generation to generation. Here are 8 of the best!
Cookies, cookies, cookies!
There are as many different ways to make sugar cookies as there are cooks, but the results are popular with all ages.
Here are some home-tested, family-pleasing sugar cookie recipes from local cooks.
Swedish sugar cookies
Another sugar cookie special comes from Mrs E M Seppa, who says the recipe comes from her mother, who was born in Sweden. “Sugar cookies just don’t come any better,” according to Mrs Seppa.
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. almond flavoring
2 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
Directions
Cream butter, add sugar, beat well. Add egg yolks one at a time, continuing to beat until light and fluffy. Add milk and flavoring. Sift ingredients together and add gradually to above mixture. Add beaten egg whites. Chill overnight in the refrigerator.
Lightly dust board or pastry cloth with flour. Roll out a portion of the dough and cut shapes with cookie cutter. Do not add remaining scraps to next piece of dough that is rolled, but save until the end and roll all scraps together.
Place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with granulated sugar or crushed sugar cubes. Sprinkle with chopped almonds if desired. Bake at 375 degrees until lightly browned.
Mrs Thacker’s sugar cookies
Ingredients
2/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups sifted enriched flour
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons milk
Directions
Thoroughly cream sugar, shortening, orange peel and vanilla. Add egg, beat until light and fluffy. Stir in milk. Sift together dry ingredients; blend into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Chill 1 hour.
On a lightly-floured surface, roll to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Bake on a greased cookie sheet about 6 to 8 minutes. Cool slightly; remove from pan. Cool on rack. Decorate if desired, or sprinkle granulated sugar on top.
Makes 2 dozen
Sugar butter cookies
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
Cream butter, add sugar gradually, and cream until fluffy. Add unbeaten egg and vanilla, beating well. Sift together dry ingredients and blend into creamed mixture. Roll out and cut into desired shapes. Place on unbuttered cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes.
Old-fashioned sugar cookies recipe
Mrs Ottie C. Redway sent in her recipe for old-fashioned sugar cookies, which she says is a very old recipe with an updated mixing method.
Ingredients
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 cubes butter or margarine
3 eggs
Directions
Sift dry ingredients into mixing bowl. Add butter and cut in with pastry blender. Chill dough. Roll thin and cut with cookie cutter. Shake granulated sugar on top. Bake in 425 degree oven until light brown.
Makes 12 dozen 2-inch cookies
