Aunt Julianne's Sugar Cookies

My aunt shared this recipe with me while I was in college, and it's the only sugar cookie I've made ever since. Unfortunately, after making over 200 of them this week, I forgot to take a picture of the final product. Here's my blog on making them last year though, and you can kind of see what they looked like (I wish my mother had been in town this year to help with frosting them, especially since I made twice as many this year.) But I took plenty of pictures as I made them. And since everyone has their own favorite recipes, I thought I'd share secrets about what I think makes these ones so good.

First of all, everything is at room temperature. I set the butter out all night, and day depending on when I make the dough. The eggs and the sour cream I set out for 1-2 hours.


I cook so much that I keep my flour and sugar in these wonderful storage containers. I also bought the screw-on lids (so much easier than the tough push-on lids.) And then, I always sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together to mix the dry ingredients. I don't have an expensive sifter. I use the wire strainer that costs $1 at the dollar store. Works great!


I love this attachment for my KitchenAid for when I'm adding in the dry ingredients. The one my mother has is a one piece unit. Now they sell them as a two piece, put together unit - not quite as effective because there is space where the flour can escape, but still helpful.


Also, though I mix all my wet ingredients with the regular mixer attachment, before I add the dry ingredients, I switch to the kneader attachment. It really keeps everything mixed well, including the bottom of the bowl (you know how sometimes you find unmixed ingredients at the bottom? Icky!)


Also, I like the dough to be sticky - here's my hand after I took a batch out of the mixing bowl. I don't like to add too much flour because then the cookies are dry. (also, I don't use a lot of flour on my rolling mat, nor do I set cut dough on flour, I set it on wax paper.)


So, because it's sticky, I always refrigerate the dough overnight. This way when I roll out the dough to cut it, it's not sticky. So here are my dough balls ready for the fridge.


And finally, here's the recipe:

My Aunt Julianne's Sugar Cookies

Wet Ingredients
1 c Butter (softened to room temperature)
3 Eggs (room temperature)
1½ c Sugar
2t Vanilla
1 c Sour Cream (room temperature)
*Mix well until creamy*

Dry Ingredients

5½ c Flour (again, its OK if its little sticky)

2t Baking Powder

1t Baking Soda

¼ t Salt

*Sift together in separate bowl*

**Add dry to wet and mix **

**Separate and roll dough into balls, wrap in plastic wrap, or put in bowls. Refrigerate (I prefer overnight, but recommend at least two hours.)

**Roll dough out to desired thickness. (About ¼” for large cookies, ½” for small. The dough will rise.) Cut into shapes. And place on greased cookie sheet.

**Bake at 350 for 8 minutes for small cookies, 9-10 minutes for large cookies (just before the edges go brown.) Remove immediately from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

**They stay the softest if after 10 minutes of air cooling they are placed in paper bags. set wax paper between rows to avoid sticking. Or after completely cooling, store in refrigerator or freezer.

**Frost after cooled. I made cream cheese frosting this year for the cookies. I didn't add as much sugar though since the cookies are so sweet.

Enjoy!