Soft Sugar Cookies

Oh cookies...how I love you so!  I don't think I've tasted a cookie that I didn't like.  While crispy cookies are not my favorite, I still like them and will willingly eat them.  Let's face it - I would eat cookies for breakfast, lunch and dinner if it wouldn't cause me to gain a single pound.  

The holiday season is the time of year when I tend to experiment with cookie recipes.  There are 5 little ones in our family, and I am finding that while they love their sweets they don't necessarily like the same types of sweets that us adults gravitate towards.  Like pie for example - adults seem to love it, kids not so much.  They also seem to have plainer tastes.  For example - most love chocolate chip cookies, but would most likely shy away from oatmeal raisin or an odd variety of cookie like pecan sandies. 

All of these realizations have led me down the path to plain and simple sugar cookies.  Finding the perfect recipe for sugar cookies has never been on my "to do list" because...well, they are kinda bland and just not my favorite.  However, since it's not all about me, I've decided to either find or develop the perfect sugar cookie.  "Perfect" is all relative though, depending on your personal preferences when it comes to cookie perfection.  For me "perfect" means either soft or chewy or both, along with tasting yummy of course.  Here is the first recipe I decided was worth giving a try (and I've looked over tons of them at this point).  I thought these turned out pretty darn good - nice and soft sugar cookie bliss.  On a scale of 1-5 (5 being the best) I'd give these a 4.  If they had just a touch of chewiness they would be perfect in my book.  Looks like another sugar cookie post will be in my future.....

Soft Sugar Cookies (adapted from http://www.aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com)

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup oil (canola or vegetable oil)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cream of tartar

½ tsp baking soda

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, oil and both sugars.  Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until fluffy.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda.  Add the flour mix to the butter mix, and stir until fluffy.

Let the dough rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes or longer. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray your cookie sheets with cooking spray.

When ready to bake, drop the batter by rounded tablespoon (I use a small scooper) onto the cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 9-11 minutes, making sure not to let them brown.  Makes 18 cookies.