Sugar Cookies

Now is the time for layers - sweaters & other baggy garments that allow me to eat lots of cookies without feeling guilty because guess why - you can't see me! It's chipmunk season, people! Time to start indulging! Fat = warmth. Bears know whats up! Leave the guilt in your rear-view and don't swing around to pick it up until it's January and your need to feel accomplished by having "resolutions" starts to nag at you.

 

Sugar cookies are pure fall perfection. They are sweet, savory, salty, pretty, and basic...all of the familiar things you love about the fall.  And I'm warning you now - don't taste the batter because by the end of it you'll be cursing me for claiming that this recipe makes three dozen, when unknowingly you ate about a half dozen yourself.

Sugar Cookies
Adapted from Savory Sweet Life's recipe for Drop Cracked Sugar Cookies

1 1/4 C. sugar
1 C. butter
3 egg yolks
1 1/3 tsp. almond extract
2 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
Colored Sugar Crystals


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using an electric mixer, beat sugar & butter until creamy.  Next, add in the egg yolks, one yolk at a time.  Add in almond extract.

Next add in baking soda, cream of tartar, salt. Mix. Now add flour in a 1/2 C. at a time until all flour is mixed in and a dough is formed.

Roll (or scoop) dough into 3/4" balls. Roll 3/4 of the cookie in the granulated sugar of your choice.  Place the bottom of the cookie (1/4 not covered in sugar) on a silpat on a cookie sheet (or a greased cookie sheet. If you don't have silpat, parchment paper works best). Leave about 2" between each dough ball as cookies will grow in the oven.  Bake for 12-14 minutes or until bottoms are just golden.  If cookies come out dome shaped, pat down top of cookies with a spatula or pie server to flatten.

Yields about three dozen cookies.