Lala's Legacy: Sugar Cookies

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A plate of warm sugar cookies!

Baby, it's cold outside!  It's so cold that my car won't start, which means I won't make my favorite pilates class.  This is the kids first day back at school after a derailed holiday break.  We were scheduled to travel the midwest, visiting Grandparents.  Instead, fevers kept us at home.  This was the first winter break that we have not been with family.  We were home relaxing, watching movies, playing board and card games, and I did a lot of sewing (none of which you'll find on Caught Red Threaded... and I can't even post photos because it's all a baby gift for my future niece/nephew).

Back to the car not starting.  It's been a windchill of -30 or colder for the last 10 days.  About 6 days ago I had to keep my car out of the garage until further notice because it's so cold outside the garage door won't open without a great deal of human assistance.  I wish Click and Clack could take my call so we can hilariously trouble shoot the problem.  I imagine them telling me the issue isn't with the car but with the climate I make the car live in.  I would agree whole-heartedly, but am getting used to mild summers and don't know if I'm really ready for the trade-off.

When it's 95 degrees colder than your favorite temperature outside, and you can't make it to your favorite pilates class (hoping to kick off the new year in the most beneficial way), the only thing left to do is pull a recipe out of your Grandmother's recipe box.  Today's recipe is for Sugar Cookies.  There are numerous sugar cookie recipes in Lala's box, and no two are the same.

This recipe wasn't perfect as it came together.  It proved to be too dry, maybe because it's negative eleventy billion degrees outside.  I added an additional tablespoon of shortening, and a teaspoon of milk.  The dough came together nicely after that.  When you chill your dough, if you plan to slice a log, roll it into a log before chilling.  If you are going to roll your dough out and use cookie cutters, then a ball of dough to chill is perfect.  I wanted to keep today simple, since it was proving to be a challenge from the onset.  I rolled my dough into a log, and wrapped with Press and Seal.

Log-O-Dough

If you also live on Hoth, you may want to place your dough outside to chill.  I considered it, but was afraid a hangry squirrel would make off with the goods.  Lala didn't give a time to chill, just that the dough should be chilled.  Given my own time constraints this morning (places to go and people to see, even if the car won't start), I gave the dough an hour in the fridge.  I'm guessing 4 hours to overnight would be more appropriate.  I'm not known for being a patient person.  Funny story about leaving things outside to chill when it's this cold.  New Year's Eve, we put a bottle of Champagne outside.  I'll let you use your imagination for the rest.  It was hilarious!

Like most things Lala made in her golden days in the kitchen, I was not on the receiving end of her sugar cookies (any of the sugar cookie recipes she made).  My Husband's Grandma Z, who is still with us and in her mid 90's, made a no-chill sugar cookie that when not over baked, was out of this world delicious.  She hasn't done baking for a few years, but the kids and I pull out her recipe a couple times a year.  I love that we don't have to wait, the no-chill is my favorite part!  Can you believe my kids are 10 and 12 and are fortunate enough to still have a Great-Grandmother living?!?  Granny, as they call her, is known not just for her sugar cookies, but also for her pizza cookies (her grandsons know what I'm talking about), and her lamb cakes at Easter.  Oy, the faces on those lamb cakes!

Recipe:

3/4 C. Shortening

1 C. Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 1/2 C. All Purpose Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Salt

Instructions:

Mix shortening, sugar, eggs, and flavoring.  Blend flour, B.P., and salt.  Cover-Chill-Heat oven to 400*.  Roll 1/8" thick.  Ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 8-10 min.

Here's what I did:

In a Kitchenaid Mixer, cream shortening and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time to mixing bowl.  Add vanilla.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix with wet ingredients.  If too dry, add additional tablespoon of shortening.  If still too dry to come together, add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time until dough forms a ball.  Cover and Chill 4 hours to overnight (or 1 hour if in a hurry like me).  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut slices or roll out dough (if using cookie cutters) to 1/8" thick.  Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes on ungreased baking sheet.

Ready to go in the oven.

I chose to leave these cookies naked, but you can roll your log in sprinkles before slicing, or make a glaze using orange or lemon juice and powdered sugar.  Happy eating!

Fresh from the oven on a cooling rack.

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