Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Cookie Help!



All right all you excellent bakers out there... what the hell is going wrong with my cookies?! This is an old family recipe and I've made it hundreds of times. But it won't roll out! Here's the recipe:


Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
4 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; set aside. Cream butter, sugar and egg till light and fluffy. Beat in sour cream and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well combined. Form dough into a ball, wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Divide dough into 4 parts and roll out one quarter at a time, keeping the rest refrigerated. Roll dough on well-floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees. Decorate with sprinkled sugar, almonds, raisins, candy or whatever.



Pretty straight forward - right? Granted, I haven't baked any cookies in, oh, say 15 years. (My butt and DH's belly doesn't need the extra expansion boost.) But, come on! The only reason why I'm doing this now is that Quinten asked if Grandma would bake some Christmas cookies for him to decorate when he comes up. How could I say no?


The only thing I did differently this time is use butter flavored Crisco instead of real butter. Is that what's going on? Usually you have to leave it in the refrigerator or it gets too soft to roll. This time the dough is like...I don't know...pie dough? It rolls much better warm. Did I screw up?


Any suggestions?

4 comments:

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

Some help I am. Without internet in Death Valley.
Guessing (I think I should know and am not sure) I think butter would probably work better with the recipe but can't say why. Still looks like you saved it.

Sally said...

Death Valley?!? What the hell you doing there??? And, yes, it was the stupid Crisco. My friend Kathy (who IS a master baker) told me when you use Crisco you have to add water (or something wet) to the dough because it's "dryer" than butter. Next time I'll just stick with the butter. Yea, they taste good. Thanks Tanna.

Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe said...

The better the butter the better the batter.
=D
They still look yummy to me, you will have a time icing them
Merry Christmas y'all!

Sally said...

I'll have to remember that Sandi - heeeeee! Thanks and a very Merry Christmas to "you guys" too!