Messy Jessy's Kitchen

So I about a week ago I decided that I was going to try to make the perfect sugar cookie.  Perfect according to my husband’s taste buds. Since then I’ve looked at a couple sugar recipes from my cookbooks and online; I’ve even had a recipe sent to me and been given suggestions.

This afternoon I started with the soft sugar cookie recipe from one of my cookbooks and stole the idea of adding milk as an additional ingredient (milk) from this online recipe.

Sugar Cookie Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg (original calls for 1/4 but I was nervous about the taste for my husband)

Frosting Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar (why do we say this instead of powdered?)
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2-4 tbsp hot water

Kitchen Tools

• 2 mixing bowls
• Mixer
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cookie sheet
• Cookie/Ice Cream Scoop/Teaspoon
• Knife

Baking Directions

First the cookies,

I decided to get all my ingredients together ahead of time.

This seemed to really help with clean up and less time searching for something or having to reach in the back of a shelf mid-mixing.

To soften butter, set out ahead of time and let get to room temperature.  I find that slicing it up when I remove from the fridge seems to help it come to room temperature quicker though this could just be a mind trick.  :)

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Note:  I think this happened b/c my butter wasn’t soft enough.  I got impatient and didn’t plan well in time.  No biggie, just had to un-goo everything and slow down the process a bit.

2. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and almond extract.

3. Combine the flour, cream of tartar, vanilla, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.

4.  Gradually add to wet mixture.

5.  Drop rounded teaspoon size balls onto ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  I found the lesser time kept the less dry (though none were dry), more doughy but still done.

6.  Cool completely.

And now the frosting, 

1. Combine butter, sugar, and extract together.  Add 2 tbsp of water and mix.  Keep mixer down in bowl and don’t bring up and around, just slowly move through sugar.  This minimizes the powdered sugar from dusting your counters and you.  :)  Add more water as needed for the consistency you want.

And now I just wait for the husband to taste and rate ‘em.

2.  Frost cooled cookies.

Tags: challenge, cookies, family, original creations, Scott, sugar