Email to Mand      

Recipe Categories: gijane's HOME PAGEAPPETIZERS BABYFOOD BAKING BBQ BEAUTYMAKEUP BEVERAGES BOOZE BREAD BREAKFAST BRITISH CAKESandPIES CANDY CASSEROLES CELEBRITY CHILI2 CHILLI COOKIES COOKINGTIPS COPYCAT CROCKPOT DESSERTS EGGLESS EGGS ETHNIC FISHandSEAFOOD FOODHISTORY FRUIT GAME HISTORICAL HOLIDAYS HOUSEHOLD Humor ITALIAN JAMSandJELLIES KIDS LowCarb4Sean LOWFAT MAFIARECIPES MARINADES MEATS MICROWAVE PASTA PASTRIES PETS PICKLES PIZZA POULTRY RAMEN-NOODLES RICE ROCCODISPIRITO SALADandDRESSING SALSA SANDWICHES SAUCES SideDishes SNACKS SOUPSandSTEWS TAILGATE VEGAN VEGETABLES VEGETARIAN WINGS

Basic sugar cookies, plain or fancy




Source of Recipe


“Al Roker’s Hassle-Free Holiday Cookbook”


Recipe Introduction


Okay, this is what I call a triple play. This is a great basic cookie batter that can be the basis for three different cookies. What I like to do is bang out a double batch of dough and freeze one batch. Then I can thaw it later and make another batch of cookies. Or, truth be told, I just eat one quarter of the dough while I’m rolling out the cookies and end up with enough for a batch and a half. You decide what to do with your dough.


List of Ingredients




16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Recipe



Using an electric mixer or mixing by hand, beat the butter and the sugar together until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the corn syrup, egg, yolk, vanilla, and lemon zest and beat well. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt and add to the butter mixture, mixing just until incorporated.

Gather the dough into a ball and divide the ball in half, flattening each half slightly to form a disk. Cover each disk in plastic wrap or wax paper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight to firm. (If refrigerated for more than an hour, the dough may get too hard to work with easily; let it sit at room temperature, unwrapped, for about 15 minutes to become pliable.) You can also freeze the dough, well wrapped, for up to 2 months (thaw before proceeding).

Position 2 racks equidistant apart in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly butter 2 baking sheets, or line them with parchment paper.

Working with half of the dough (leave the other half in the refrigerator until ready to use), roll it out on a floured board to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters and place 1/2 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gather any unused scraps into a ball and roll out to 1/8 inch thick, and cut with cookie cutters. If desired, decorate.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, switching positions of the baking sheets in the oven halfway through, until the cookies are just beginning to turn light golden in color.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let rest on the baking sheets for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a metal spatula, carefully remove the cookies from the baking sheets and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Repeat with the remaining dough, making sure you let the baking sheets cool completely before proceeding.

Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months (let thaw before serving).

Makes about 4 dozen 3-inch cookies