Sugar cookies had always been meh for me. I could take or leave them, and usually I left them. I tend to find sugar cookies too crunchy or too dry, and rolling and cutting out shapes?! That's a once a year ordeal for the kids. If they're lucky. Then, a couple of years ago, my friend brought these soft, chewy sugar cookies to a party and THAT WAS IT. I was in love. I begged my friend for the recipe. I'm not sure of the original source, and I apologize for that, but I made a couple of adjustments that I prefer and now I and am doing my part to make sure the world has this recipe in its hands! Make these and make them often. You will never be satisfied by another sugar cookie again!
Cookie ingredients:
1 cup butter
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp water
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt
5 1/2 cups flour
Cookie Directions:
Standard cookie procedure. Cream the wet ingredients, add the dry. Once combined, the dough should be slightly crumbly and not sticky. Scoop balls of dough onto cookie sheet (I use a small scoop).
Wet the bottom of a small glass (I use a small juice glass, 2 inches in diameter) with water, then dip in sugar. Firmly press glass down onto the center of the cookie dough ball. Cookies should be about 1/2 inch thick with a raised, course edge. (I dip the glass in the sugar before pressing down each ball to prevent sticking.)
Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Move to cooling rack.
Frosting ingredients:
1/4 cup butter (room temp)
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 1/2-4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp milk
green food coloring
Frosting directions:
Cream together butter, sour cream, and salt. Add vanilla and mix well. Add powdered sugar and milk alternately. I start by mixing in 2 cups powdered sugar, then incorporating 1 tbsp milk, then 1 1/2-2 cups more powdered sugar and the last of the milk. We like to make our frosting less stiff and more runny, so we sometimes go less on the sugar and more on the milk. It's a matter of preference. Taste and feel as you go. Mix in a small amount of green food coloring. (I prefer gel food coloring. I used the tiniest bit of blue and green to get this mint green shade.) Spread frosting on cooled cookies, top with holiday sprinkles, and enjoy!
