My mother-in-law gets asked to make her sugar cookies for every family function of the year. I’m not much of a cookie fan so I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. I think I first had them on the Fourth of July. She shaped them into American flags and I got my paws on one before she made it red, white, and blue. One bite. That was it. I was done for. I’ve never had a better sugar cookie in my life and neither will you. Trust me, this is the only sugar cookie recipe you will ever need.
Here’s my mother-in-law’s recipe for the perfect sugar cookies:
- 1.5 cups butter (3 sticks)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 tsp. vanilla
- 3.5 cups flour
- 0.5 tsp. baking powder
- 0.5 tsp. salt
Her instructions are:
- Combine butter and both sugars
- Add eggs and vanilla
- Add baking powder, salt, and flour
- Place in fridge for 15-30 mins
- Roll out dough and cut out shapes
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 mins
I want to draw your attention to the next two pictures because it shows exactly how well this dough holds its shape. You put a snowman into the oven and a snowman comes out. It’s as if you found someone on a dating website and when you show up for your date they look exactly like their profile picture instead of like Jabba the Hutt. Honesty is hard to come by, people. Even in cookie dough.
Once your cookies cool off it’s time to get decorating. Remember that the ugly cookies taste as good as the pretty ones so have fun. This would be the perfect opportunity to get kiddos in the kitchen and to let them be creative. Make sure to pick out the best ones to leave for Santa on Christmas Eve.
These are my finished products! I’m quite proud of them and Chris is as well. I store them in an air tight container and (if we don’t eat them first) they last about a week. This recipe makes at least 3 dozen cookies so you will have plenty to share with coworkers, friends, and family. I hope you enjoy them! They really are the perfect cookie to bake and decorate for any holiday. All you need is a variety of cookie cutters and a little imagination. Let me know if you make them by posting a review on the You, Me, and Tennessee Facebook page. You better hurry, though, because it’s only 1 week until Christmas! If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the blog to receive notifications of new posts via email.
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