Sugar Cookie recipe

Let's start our demonstration with a sugar cookie recipe. This is just a basic recipe for sugar cookies.

Sugar Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour

 1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg (opt.)

1/2 cup butter, unsalted

1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla

 Measure and blend the dry ingredients together, (flour, salt, nutmeg).

Cream butter in mixer, then add the sugar.

Once creamed mixture looks well blended, add the egg and mix.

Now add the dry ingredients slowly until well blended.

Add vanilla and blend.

This cookie should bake up good, but sometimes there are circumstances that inhibit the cookies from turning out like you want them to. The very first thing you should to before making any recipe, is read through the recipe and assemble the ingredients. The ingredients should be at room temperature before you begin. 

Let's say that the ingredients are at room temperature and are all accounted for. We follow the step-by-step directions given. The only ingredient in question is nutmeg. Personally I don't like nutmeg, so I would leave it out. But if you like it use it, but if you want to you can substitute another spice in the same amount.

Overall, the recipe looks good. You may change several things right off. You can add nuts if you like. Or you may add chocolate chips if you like. You get my drift. The one thing that is absolute is that your vanilla (or whatever extract you may be using) is top quality, no imitation. This being a sugar cookie, I would probably up the extract to either two teaspoons or maybe even a tablespoon. A sugar cookie is synonymous with vanilla.

You need to decide if you want your cookie to be more crispy or softer. As is the cookie could go either way depending upon how long you bake it. Other than that option, I would suggest that you use 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening because that seems to produce a great textured cookie. And once the recipe is together I would look at it and try to judge if it was too soft or too stiff. The too stiff is easy, you (or the mixer) can hardly stir it or the mixer sounds like it's straining. If that is the case, you can add a little liquid. You could choose either milk, water or a fruit juice. Since this is a sugar cookie recipe, I immediately discount the fruit juice idea. Of the other two, it is just personal preference. Milk will make the cookie more cakey, and the water should have no effect at all, it will evaporate while baking. I suggest you make a couple of cookies and test bake them for texture and taste before you bake the batch.

Now if the dough is too soft (and sugar cookie dough often times is) you can either add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time until the texture looks and feels right. Or you may add something like oatmeal, cornstarch or even confectioners' sugar. Of the three, I would choose one of the last two. If I want the texture of the finished cookie to be tender then I would choose the cornstarch. If the texture was okay, then I would go with the confectioners' sugar because most cookie wouldn't be harmed by a little more sugar. Which ever way you go, be sure to start small. You can always add more, but it is impossible to remove it once it is in.

As for temperature of this cookie, if the dough is softer then I would start the oven at 375 or 400 degrees and watch the time closely. And don't forget to roll the dough in sugar for the look and slight crunch of the first bite.

Try this cookie and see what you think. Don't forget to use good quality ingredients and allow them to come to room temperature first. And always remember, you can always change the flavor by changing the extract. In this recipe I would probably use lemon, but not as much as the vanilla. Lemon extract is strong, so start with half the amount of the vanilla. Taste the dough before you bake it and see if the lemon is strong enough, if not, add more.

Another thing to take into consideration is the humidity of your kitchen and the outside humidity. If it is raining, sometimes it affects some doughs.  Enjoy!