Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

I love this time of year. But not just for the weather, the beautiful colors, and the warm fall flavors, although those don’t hurt. What I love is that from now until the end of the year, there’s nothing short of a flood of new cookbooks coming out. The holidays are huge for cookbook sales, whether it’s to find new recipes to make for the endless gatherings, or gifts for the chefs and bakers in your life. Already in just the past couple months, over a dozen new dessert books alone have come out. And the season has only just begun. Every day at work I discover a new treasure. I’m constantly skimming through the new arrivals, mentally adding more and more to my wish list.

One of the books at the top of my list was The Cookiepedia by Stacy Adimando. Cute, fun, and full of recipes for all your favorite classic cookies. You know, the kind your mom and grandma made when you were younger. The ones you turn to whenever you just need a cookie. The simple, classic, not-much-fuss cookies we all know and love. Sure, if you want those fancypants patisserie-type cookies like French Macarons and Madeleines, those are in here too, but the majority of the recipes are of the “whip up a batch when the craving strikes” variety.

I say “was” at the top of my list, because it’s no longer on my list. It’s in my possession now thanks to the lovely ladies at Cleaning Plates, a Philly-based food podcast! (Yay! I never win giveaways!) As soon as I got it, I started plotting all the recipes I wanted to try from it. I finally had a little time (and a big cookie craving) the other day to try it out.

First up—Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies. I love me some sugar cookies. And these are soft, chewy, totally simple, and incredibly quick to whip up. Dress them up in festive Halloween colors for the perfect treats for your party. They’ll be ready in a flash, leaving you plenty of time to work on getting your costume just right. Dress them up in any color you want, slather them with your favorite frosting, or just roll them in granulated sugar and enjoy them naked (the cookies. Not you. Or maybe you, if that’s what you want. Who am I to judge.) This is definitely a recipe to keep in your arsenal. I’m already thinking of all the possibilities for these delicious cookies. And already plotting when I can make more yummies from this book.

Thanks so much Shao and Christine!

---

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
Adapted from The Cookiepedia by Stacy Adimando
Makes 3 dozen 3-inch cookies



3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Non-pareils or sanding sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture a little at a time, mixing until just combined. Scrape down the side of the bowl, making sure to get any dry bits at the bottom.
4. Using a cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon, roll dough into 1-inch balls. If using non-pareils, dip one side of the ball into a shallow bowl of sprinkles to coat the top. (If using sanding sugar, you can just dip half, or simply roll the ball in the sugar to coat the whole thing.) Place on prepared baking sheets, pressing down gently to flatten balls slightly. Chill dough on baking sheets in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
5. Once chilled, bake, rotating pans halfway through, for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.