Sugar Cookies

Ah, the famous sugar cookie! I feel that sometimes its simple appearance gives the sugar cookie a bad name but I believe it can be as complex or satisfying as any other cookie out there. What constitutes the perfect sugar cookie? chewiness? cake-like? cookie cutter shaped? crispiness and thinness? In my opinion, there is no perfect sugar cookies. Just like my chocolate cookie repertoire, my sugar cookie repertoire is no different. I have a sugar cookie recipe for every type of sugar cookie. Of course we all have a type of sugar cookie that we are partial to, but instead of calling it the perfect sugar cookie, I like to call it my "ideal" sugar cookie: thin, light, crispy, and a lightly brown around the edges.


Believe it or not, I have only eaten my ideal sugar cookie once. It was from a family friend that made them when I went to her house. These cookies were one of the most addicting cookies I had ever eaten. The cookies were thin, light, crispy, and a little brown around the edges - my "ideal" sugar cookie. On top of that, they were all cookie cutter shaped like a bunny. They were perfect! I remember on the way home, I was telling my mom how infatuated I was to those cookies that she told me I should learn how to make them. She told me that they key would be to use cake flour to get the cookies that light. I went home and started experimenting but never achieved my ideal sugar cookie. I began trying numerous recipes and altering different proportions but it seemed that my favorite sugar cookies were never to be seen or eaten again.

Now I know what you are probably thinking, why didn't I just ask for the recipe. To be completely honest, I was too shy. Also, I figured it wouldn't be that hard and I could figure it out on my own...boy was I wrong! Anyways, recently I went on a day trip up north with a bunch of my friends and I wanted to bake cookies. I figured sugar cookies is a neutral cookie that most people enjoy. I didn't want to use any of the recipes I had so I went to Cookie Madness' blog. I had been looking at the blog for the past several days and was anxious to try a recipe from it. As I was scrolling through the different sugar cookie recipes, one of them struck me. It used powdered sugar in addition to regular sugar as well as oil in addition to butter. I thought it was interesting and from my what I gathered, it seemed like it would make a lighter sugar cookie. The results?

A light, crispy, and brown around the edges sugar cookie! These were drop cookies but had I used a rabbit shaped cookie cutter, they would have turned out insanely similar to my family friend's. I will give up bunny shaped cookies to get the taste and texture of my ideal sugar cookie! Another great thing about this recipe is that you can cook them a little less and the cookies can be soft and chewy. I love these cookies and will be making them all the time!

Just for kicks, the description of this cookie on Cookie Madness is, "Random last minute cookies I made for T&F Day." What? Random? Last minute? I have been searching for this recipe for almost seven years! There is nothing random and last minute about these cookies!


Sugar Cookies
compliments of Cookie Madness

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg

Directions
1. Whisk flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl; set aside
2. With a mixer, cream butter, oil, both sugars. Beat in vanilla and egg
3. With a spoon, mix in flour mixture in three batches until well mixed
4. Chill dough for 1-2 hours
5. Preheat the oven to 350 F
6. Scoop dough by the tablespoon, about a inch apart
7. For soft and chewy cookies: bake 9-12 minutes or until very lightly brown around the edges
For crisp cookies: bake 15-18 minute and lightly brown around the edges