Basic Sugar Cookies

Posted by Margalit

Sometimes you need to make something that's simple, and totally hits the spot. My daughter wanted to make some sugar cookies and started whinging first thing this morning. She had a friend over and I turned them loose in the kitchen with this recipe.

They made a batch, frosted some of them, and proceeded to eat half the batch in about 20 minutes with help from my son. Teenagers!

Makes 3 dozen 2 1/2-inch cookies

Dough

• I cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
• 2/3 cup sugar
  
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten with a fork
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 3 cups flour
  
• Extra flour (for shaping )
  
• Extra sugar (for rolling)

Directions

1. Have on hand a 2 1/2-inch cutter.

2. In an electric mixer, beat the butter until light. Gradually beat in the sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl several times.

3. Beat in the egg whites a little at a time, then beat in the salt.

4. With the mixer set on its lowest speed, beat in the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl. When the mixture is smooth, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter.

5. Shape the dough into a smooth flat cake. Wrap it in foil, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to 2 days. Let the dough soften at room temperature, if necessary.

6. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

7. On a lightly sugared board, roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Stamp out cookies and transfer them to the baking sheets. Reshape and reroll the scraps and stamp out more cookies.

8. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes or until they are set and beginning to turn golden at the edges. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool. Decorate as directed at right.

   Original recipe from Sheryl Julian of the Boston Globe, and my personal cooking hero.

   
   

   TAGS: Cookies, Sugar Cookies
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