The purpose of What’s For Dinner? is to provide you a recipe with items on sale this week, with no more than 10 ingredients (not including pantry items), and coming in at under $10 per meal.
I have a small confession.
I have an addiction to frosted sugar cookies.
Serious addiction.
Like I can only make the cookies once a year, because I end up eating them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, with coffee, with milk, etc. And by eating the whole batch, I gain seven pounds.
But I also have a discerning taste when it comes to sugar cookies. The cookies have to be crisp and chewy, the icing has to be buttery and smooth, and each bite must evoke a small piece of heaven to me.
I had these sugar cookies about 12 years ago and they are still hands down the BEST sugar cookies and frosting combination I’ve ever put in my mouth.
(But just ignore the calorie count on the ingredients. I firmly believe calories don’t count after November 1st.)
With all of the baking items on sale as part of the Price Chopper Deals this week – it should be very inexpensive to get your own sugar cookie fix on.
Sugar Cookies
2/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
4 tsp milk
2 cups sifted flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Directions
1. Cream shortening, sugar and vanilla in a standing mixer. While creaming, stir all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
2. Add egg and beat until light and fluffy.
3. Stir in milk.
4. Blend dry ingredients into creamy mixture until well combined.
5. Divide dough into half and place in separate bowls. Cover and chill in refrigerator for one hour.
6. While dough is chilling, lightly grease air-bake cookie sheets. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to 1/4″ thickness and cut into desired shapes. Place on grease cookie sheet.
8. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until dough is cooked but not brown.
9. Cool on cookie sheet and then transfer to wire cooling rack for icing. Use Buttercream icing – see below.
Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
4 cups of powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
Food Coloring
1 tsp almond, orange or lemon extract – optional
Directions
1. Cream shortening and butter in a stand mixer.
2. Add sugar, milk, and vanilla on medium until mixed well.
3. Blend for one more minute and add extract to taste (optional).
4. Separate icing into bowl and add desired food coloring and spread on cookies and decorate.
What about you? What is your favorite holiday treat? Do you only make it once per year because you eat it all? Share it with us via the comments or on the Kansas City Mamas Facebook Page.
What do you use for shortening in the recipes?
Kay – I’m a Crisco girl. No substitute.