Friday, January 28, 2011

Soft Sugar Cookies Recipe

soft sugar cookie sprinkles

Soft, frosted supermarket sugar cookies, or Lofthouse style cookies, are always a treat, but I think this recipe for soft, cake cookies is even better! In fact, the homemade versions are fluffy clouds of sugary bliss. Sweet, addictive, habit-forming, cookie clouds. They are so good, that I have started calling them crackies, and have found that an entire batch can easily be consumed in a day or two… by one person.

SOFT CAKE SUGAR COOKIES RECIPE

(Makes around 40 cookies)

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon coconut extract

FROSTING RECIPE

3.75 cups of powdered sugar

¼ cup butter - melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup evaporated milk

¼ teaspoon salt

METHOD

Make the cookies

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt – set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar using a stand or hand mixer for around 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until combined. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and coconut extract, and beat until combined.

Add the flour mixture and mix until you have smooth dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for one hour.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. And line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.

When the dough has chilled, remove it from the bowl, coat it in flour, and roll it out on a lightly floured counter until it is ¼ inch thick.

Using your cookie cutter of choice (I’m partial to round), cut out as many cookies as will fit on your sheets, allowing ½ inch of space between each.

unbaked sugar cookies

Bake the cookies for 6-10 minutes (depending on your oven), until they are just beginning to brown on the edges. Remove and allow them to cool.soft sugar cookies baked

Make the Frosting

While the cookies cool, sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl; add the melted butter, evaporated milk, vanilla extract, and salt and beat together with a stand or hand mixture until smooth.

Using a butter knife apply a liberal coating of frosting to each cookie. frosted sugar cookie

Apply sprinkles if you so choose.

soft sugar cookie

Consume ravenously!