Reader Recipe Feature: Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

 Drawing a recipe from the hat (so to speak) today, I was thrilled when I saw it was a recipe for Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies.  For one, the girls and I have come down with a cold and nothing sounded better than melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies and two, sugar cookies are my husband's absolute favorite and something I rarely bake these days... I knew he would declare that he loved me forever when he came home from work and saw the cookie jar full of these (smile). 

These sugar cookies are so amazingly good... after they came out of the oven, I was afraid there wouldn't be any left in the cookie jar! 

 This is a recipe that was submitted by Pat, who has a blog called Home On Grange Hall Road.  I loved what she wrote about the cookies when she sent the recipe in, so I'll let you read it word for word too!

This recipe has been a favorite of my husband's family for several generations, passed down from his dear great-grandmother, Edith Trigger.  My mother-in-law, Vera Campbell, was the best cook and baker I have ever met.  I am so honored that she took the time to teach me her cooking secrets and share with me her precious family recipes.  Some of the ingredients have changed since Grandma Trigger made these wonderful cookies.  Lard has been replaced by butter and vegetable oil.  These cookies not only look beautiful and taste delicious, they are also award winning state fair cookies!  I am continuing the tradition of passing the recipe on to the next generation as I share the recipe and cooking secrets with my granddaughters.  When I am in the kitchen baking these cookies, I have warm wonderful thoughts of my family.  Thoughts from the past of the wonderful times I spent cooking and learning with my mother-in-law and thoughts to the future for the time I will spend teaching my granddaughters. 

 

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (Pat recommends Land of Lakes Unsalted Butter.  It gives the cookies a beautiful color and a rich, buttery taste)

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1.  Cream together thoroughly butter, oil, powdered sugar and granulated sugar

2.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth

3.  Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.  Blend well.

4.  Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes

5.  Roll teaspoons of dough into balls, then roll in granulated sugar

6.  Place on lightly greased cookie sheet or parchment paper (Pat prefers parchment paper)

7.  Flatten in crisscross pattern with fork

8.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes

9.  Leave cookies on cookie sheet for 2 minutes after taking out of oven, them move to wire racks

Exact cooking time is critical.  The cooking time for Pat's oven is precisely 11 minutes.  She also turns the cookie sheet in the oven at 5 minutes. 

 The sugar cookies were a huge hit at our house... Justus said they were the best he's ever had and I'm keeping this recipe forever as it's a winner (smile).  Thank you SO much, Pat, for sharing your delicious and special family recipe with us all! 

P.S.  I think these cookies would make fabulous holiday or hostess gifts too!

If you're interested in submitting a recipe, you can find the details here.