Perfect Sugar Cookies

Perfect Sugar Cookies
1 c butter (soft)
1 1/2 c powdered (confectioner's) sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp almond
2 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tarter

Cream butter with sugar, egg, vanilla and almond. Sift together flour, baking soda and cream of tarter. Mix into the butter mixture. Chill 2-3 hours. Roll out till 3/16th of an inch. Cut into desired shapes. Bake on a GREASED cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes, or until edges are just starting to turn golden. Cool and frost. Makes 5 dozen. If you are not going to frost, sprinkle tops of cookies with granulated sugar just before baking.

Note from Paula: When using your Bosch, the motor power is incredible. You don't need to mix any cakes mixes OR cookie mixes long to have them evenly mixed. In fact, if you over whip your butter/sugar combination, your cookies will be crumbly! This is due to using butter which whips/aerates really fast. :)

This is not exactly a healthy recipe but it works for making a perfect sugar cookie. I like it because it uses butter as opposed to shortening, which is the normal base for most sugar cookies. Try changing your recipes to butter which is healthier alternative rather than shortening. The powder sugar is what allows the cookies to cut into shapes nicely. We love to use this recipe around Christmas and Valentine's when we tend to have our major cut out cookie productions!

The pancake ring is the perfect size for a giant cookie to decorate or give as a gift. You can even use this type cookie to make a cookie bouquet. Simply cut small dowel rod (I buy them at Wal-Mart) into the desired length of your 'stem.' Cut the cookie shape and lay it on your baking sheet. Gently insert the rod to one end of the cookie. NOTE: you will need a thick cookie and the rod to penetrate the cookie about 1 1/2" inches. Then, bake as directed. :) Make more cookies than you want for the cookie bouquet, as some will break when removing them from the cookie sheet. Cool; decorate. Insert the cookies into a Styrofoam base. Remember they will be heavy so you will need to weight your basket so it won't be top heavy. :) Have fun making memories.