I’ve been making these sugar cookies since 1973 when I got the recipe from Better Homes Magazine.  They can be made with the assorted sugars or with royal icing.  I like them best both ways!  My sons loved them best with sugar.  I remember how excited they would be to help me decorate them, and how excited they would  be when they saw what they had decorated as they came out of the oven.  They could hardly wait for them to cool off a bit first! Such great memories with my sons and how much they loved what I baked for them!  Ahhhhh, to go back in time to enjoy them little again would be wonderful, but at least I have the memories tucked away inside.  What fun it was to bake for the little guys!

 

Spring is almost here!

Flowers will begin to bloom soon!

 

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Sift flour with baking powder, soda,, salt and nutmeg.

2. In a large bowl at medium speed, beat butter, sugar and egg until light and fluffy.

3. At low-speed, beat in sour cream and vanilla.

4. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well.

5. Form dough into a ball, wrap in waxed paper or foil, refrigerate several hours or overnight.

6. divide dough into 4 parts. Roll out one section at a time. Roll out lightly onto a floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters.

Bake 375 for 10 – 12 minutes.  Decorate with sugar or Royal Icing recipe below. 

Royal Icing Recipe

This smooth, hard-drying icing is perfect for making decorations that last. It is also useful as a “cement” to fasten decorations together. Royal icing is edible, but not recommended for icing cakes

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons Meringue Powder

4 cups (about 1 pound) confectioners’ sugar

6 Tablespoon Warm water

Beat all ingredients until icing forms peaks (7-10 minutes at low speed with a heavy-duty mixer, 10-12 minutes at high speed with a hand-held mixer).

Keep all utensils completely grease-free for proper icing consistency.

* For stiffer icing, use 1 tablespoon less water.

**When using large countertop mixer or for stiffer icing, use 1 tablespoon less water.

Thinned Royal Icing: To thin for pouring, add 1 teaspoon water per cup of royal icing. Use grease-free spoon or spatula to stir slowly. Add 1/2 teaspoon water at a time until you reach proper consistency.

Picture below are sugar cookies with assorted sugars instead of the Royal Icing.