Storecipe of the Week: Jill's Sugar Cookies

As I have said before, cookies are my most favorite dessert in the world!  Whether they are oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, peanut butter, Oreo's or the classic sugar cookies, I just melt when I have them.  Every night before I go to bed, I need a cookie.  I know what all of you health nuts out there are thinking, "sugar before bed? She must be kidding"!  I know it's not recommended but I just can't help myself.  I am not fully satisfied, no matter how great my day was or how satisfying dinner was, until I get my cookie!  When I received this submission for sugar cookies, I was so excited!  Since I make everything that is submitted, I was thrilled to bake the cookies and have them for a few nights!  While I love Oreo's, there is nothing like a homemade cookie, or anything for that matter. With that being said, I present to you, Erin Waitz's beautiful story and yummy sugar cookies.


Story:
The taste was familiar, more familiar than I thought it would be. The memory of making sugar cookies with my mom, once a distant memory of the past, is now part of the present. As I took a bite of cookie dough I was surprised at the rush of memories. Even as a young child I would have to try the cookie dough, just to make sure my mom and I had really included all the ingredients (at least that’s what I told her). 


I asked my dad for the recipe that I had made with my mom during our short decade together, I could almost visualize the two of us sitting at the kitchen table mixing in the eggs and measuring out the flour before getting our hands messy when we balled up the dough. On special occasions I remembered my mom and I would use cookie cutters and sprinkles. Now, the smell of the baking cookies brings me back to my time with my mom. I anxiously await the 12 minutes to taste the final result, bracing for the memories that would flow over me when taking the first bite. As soon as the timer buzzed, I couldn’t wait to let a cookie cool, I immediately tried it and felt instant happiness. I successfully made my mom’s sugar cookies. For the first time I realized a memory of my past could create memories for my future.

Jill's Sugar Cookies
The Thoughts:
1 cup sugar plus some extra to sprinkle on top of cookies before serving
2 sticks butter, softened 
1 egg  
1/2 tsp. baking powder 
1 tsp. vanilla 
1/4 tsp. salt  
1 tsp. light brown sugar
2 cups flour

Putting the Memory Together:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl.  

In a separate bowl, cream sugar, brown sugar and butter together with an electric mixer.  Add the egg and vanilla until well mixed and fluffy.

  Slowly add in the dry ingredients until well combined.

Shape spoonfuls of dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet.

Using a drinking glass floured in the bottom, press down on dough to flatten fairly thin. 

Bake in 375 degree oven, on middle racks, for 12 minutes or until done. Dust with sugar if desired.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Printable version

Jill's Sugar Cookies

The Thoughts:

1 cup sugar plus some extra to sprinkle on top of cookies before serving

2 sticks butter, softened 

1 egg  

1/2 tsp. baking powder 

1 tsp. vanilla 

1/4 tsp. salt  

1 tsp. light brown sugar

2 cups flour

Putting the Memory Together:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl.  In a separate bowl, cream sugar, brown sugar and butter together with an electric mixer.  Add the egg and vanilla until well mixed and fluffy.  Slowly add in the dry ingredients until well combined.
Shape spoonfuls of dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Using a drinking glass floured in the bottom, press down on dough to flatten fairly thin. 
Bake in 375 degree oven for 12 minutes or until done. Dust with sugar if desired.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.