Sugar cookies…yum! These aren’t the beautifully decorated, professional-looking variety. But these are soft and melt in your mouth (probably due to the sour cream, I love baking with sour cream). And they’re sweet, but not too sweet (of course the frosting makes up for that). Even Andrew loves and frequently requests these, and he’s not much for sweets (weirdo). I hope it’s not too early for a sugar cookie post. I mean, our Japanese Costco has had Christmas decor since AUGUST! It’s true. So I think I’ve shown a lot of restraint in saving my favorite sugar cookies ’til mid-November. Who wants to wait for Christmas anyway? Pink frosted Valentine heart cut-outs, spring flowers, ghost and pumpkin shapes for Halloween, there’s always an excuse to make and share cute cookies, especially when they taste this good!
Favorite Sugar Cookies
(calorie estimate: 4,200/full recipe)
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3 Tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon almond or lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 cups flour
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, sour cream, almond or lemon extract and vanilla and mix well. Add soda, salt and flour and mix on low just until combined. Roll dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours. Roll out on floured surface and cut into shapes. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 375 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. (These cookies don’t brown.) Cool on racks, then frost and decorate!
Favorite Frosting
(calorie estimate: 1,250/full recipe)
1/3 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar (about a pound)
1/4 cup milk (or more)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
pinch of salt
In mixing bowl, beat butter slowly with powdered sugar. Add milk and continue to beat. Add vanilla, almond extract and salt. If needed, add more milk to make frosting spreading consistency. Color with food coloring if desired.
