Thursday, August 29, 2013

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  Lard has been replaced by butter and vegetable oil.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.

24 comments:

  1. Thanks for the recipe, Andrea. They look delicious. I'm glad they are made with butter. Deb

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  2. I am loving these recipe features! Yummmm!

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  3. You're such a good mother. I don't think I've baked sugar cookies for... Geez, I can't even remember when!
    Brenda

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  4. These look so delicious!! A good sugar cookie is a must! Also I am having a Loretta Fontain jewelry giveaway and would love for you to enter.

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  5. Sigh! These cookies look simply comforting. There is something about cross-cross on cookies that give them a rustic old fashioned feel that I love! Oh to have a couple now with some coffee. :) I may have to try this recipe out very soon!
    Blessings,
    Leslie

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  6. My favorite cookies are sugar cookies. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe! Your photos are gorgeous.

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  7. These look delicious! My family loves sugar cookies so I will be trying these. Thanks for the recipe.

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  8. Thanks for sharing this with us. I will be trying these out once my holiday baking takes off!

    Cynthia

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  9. Definitely gonna try these out! Thanks so much for sharing readers' recipes with us. Love your photos!!

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  10. Thanks for featuring these great recipes, Andrea! I made the Chicken and Dumplings last week and it was definitely a hit. My family and I loved it! I love the story behind the cookie recipe, family ties make it all the more special. P.S. I see your gorgeous countertops peeking through the pics :)

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  11. These cookies look and sound delicious. I will have to give them a try. I love the way you wrapped up a few for giving.

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  12. I love this recipe and make it frequently. Another option, and I do this at the Holidays, is to flatten the cookies w/ the bottom of the glass. When they are cooled I frost them in different colors and use sprinkles. Soooo good! And the recipe makes a LOT of cookies.
    Chris K in Wisconsin

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  13. Can't wait to make the cookies, they sound so good and I love what she wrote about them. Hope you and your girls feel better soon, summer colds are nasty. Patty

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  14. Ok, just found your blog and I am in love!

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  15. Hi Andrea, only just found your blog thru Jeanne Oliver. These cookies look very pretty and the first thing I thought is that they would make great little gifts. It's lovely that people share tested and true recipes. Off to read more of your lovely blog now. :)

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  16. Hello Andrea, today I had my 3 year old Grandson here for a visit. He love helping me cooking and baking. I told him that we should make Pat's Sugar Cookies from your blog. He did the measuring and dipping the cookies in sugar and I did the mixing and baking.Everybody in the family love the Pat's cookies. Thank you for passing on the recipe.

    Monika in Canada

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  17. I'm a big fan of sugar cookies. Trying new sugar cookie recipes is something of a hobby for me. I made these cookies this morning. They're really good. I would definitely make these again. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! ps I don't mean to be critical, but there is a slight discrepancy in the recipe. Giving someone a baking time with the instruction to follow it exactly is only helpful if the size of the cookie dough ball is also given. A ball of dough to be baked could consist of one, two or three tablespoons of dough. Minus that detail the recipe is written in a very helpful, detailed way. Also, your photos are awesome! Have a great day.

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  18. how many does it make

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  19. I just made these tonight from a Pin I found on Pinterest that linked me back to this post! OMGsh these are amazing! I used cake flour in lieu of all purpose flour and they are really light and fluffy!! Thank you for sharing the recipe!! I may share this on my blog if that is okay with you! AWESOME COOKIES!!!!

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  20. Thank you! I have been looking for this recipe for a very long time! (I misplaced mine and couldn't find it anywhere) I had been making these for years, but I always flattened them with the bottom of a sugared glass! I will be making these today!!

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  21. Can i refrigerate the dough overnight?

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