After my grandmother passed away, my mom tried desperately to find her sugar cookie recipe. Grandma was always in charge of baking dozen upon dozens of cookies at Christmastime, with the help of her minions (me, Jacob, and Michelle). Unfortunately, we never found the recipe, so mom set out on a mission to try as many recipes as it took until she got the one that tasted most like Grandmas. This is it. This is a thin and very sweet cookie that has a crisp texture and holds the shape of cut-outs well.
Grandma Shaheen's Sugar Cookies
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer (preferably a stand mixer) cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs.
Add flour mixture and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Stir in vanilla. Lay down two large pieces of plastic wrap, overlapping edges, and turn dough out onto plastic. Shape into a log (about 12 " by 4"-5") and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350. Take log out of fridge, cut dough in half. Put one half back in fridge, take the other half and roll dough to 1/8" thickness on a floured surface. Cut into desired shapes (dipping cookie cutters in flour before pressing into dough), and transfer to parchment lined baking sheets. Bake 9-10 minutes or until edges just start to brown. If you want chewier cookies, bake for 8 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks. Decorate and store for up to two weeks.
Yield is about 5 dozen cookies.
I've adapted the recipe from the one Mom found on www.marthastewart.com over ten years ago, although I don't see this version posted on her site anymore.
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