Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Tip - If using all-purpose flour always add 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt for every 1 cup of flour - Self rising flour already has baking powder, baking soda and salt added.

If the recipe has a range of quantity, always start with the lesser amount and add to as needed.

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies


1 to 1 2/3 cups self-rising flour
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening or butter
1 egg
2 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

Sift together flour and sugar twice. Cut butter or shortening into the flour/sugar mixture until mixture resembles coarse mill or oatmeal. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla. Drop or shape cookies, placing on cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated to 375 degrees oven for about 8 minutes.

Note: I like to soften (not melt) the butter and cream the sugar and butter together, adding the flour slowly to the mix.

If I remember right, this recipe makes about 2 dozen large cookies and 3 dozen small cookies - it may be more or less.

This is also a basic cookie dough recipe. Adding cocoa will give you chocolate sugar cookies, but taste the batter, you may need to add more sugar a tbsp at a time. Cocoa needs sweetening, however you can use semi sweet chocolate without adding additional sugar. Most nuts used in baking can be added, if adding pecans - you now have pecan sandies. Raisins or oatmeal can also be added for a change of taste, but I have a killer oatmeal cookie recipe I will post later.

Cookies are easy to bake and an inexpensive way to experiment with baking. Make a batch with shortening and then one with butter and see which you prefer. More or less vanilla can be used, depending on taste. Experiment, eat well, but most of all have fun!