Sugar Cookies

I love sugar cookies!

I got this recipe from my friend Janell who is a self-proclaimed sugar cookie addict. She's tried them all, made them all and decorated them all so she knows what she's looking for in a sugar cookie. She shared this recipe with me back in December and I had the opportunity to make them again last week for a neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt. They turned out spectacular! And it is always fun to decorate them with icing and sprinkles too (although I have yet to get any cookie cutter sets of my own and keep having to borrow them from said sugar cookie addict, so I'm adding that to my wish list- just in case any of you were wondering what to get me for my birthday this year ;)

Here's what you need:

1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup softened butter (not melted)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour

Mix shortening and butter until you get a creamy mixture. Add sugar, baking powder and salt, mix well. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. Mix in as much flour as you can.

Divide dough in half, chill in refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

Dust table or countertop with flour and roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutter and place cookie dough shapes onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes- *They will not brown if you use an airbake cookie sheet as you can see below- these have already been baked* If you don't own any airbake cookie sheets, you should go get some pronto. They are AMAZING. Nothing ever burns or sticks to them and everything is cooked evenly and perfectly.


If you're using a traditional cookie sheet they will start to brown around the edges a little bit. When that happens, pull them out right away or your cookies will be too hard and crunchy.

Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!