Thursday, December 11, 2008

So-Easy Sugar Cookies


This recipe comes from Pillsbury Bake-Off Cookies and Cakes from way back in April of 1991.

These cookies are a cinch to make and are light and flaky. We used red and green sugar for Christmas, but they are also pretty with pastel colors for Easter or red and blue for the 4th of July.

I used the maximum (2 teaspoons) of almond extract, but next time I will cut it back to 1 teaspoon. The cookies had a very nice initial flavor, but I detected an aftertaste from the extract; that may just be the brand I used.* I'd also let them bake the full 12 minutes. I baked them for 10 minutes and felt they could have been just a little more done, especially in the center of the pan.

Cut into diamonds as I did, I only got 2-1/2 dozen instead of the suggested 4 dozen.


So-Easy Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup oil (I used slightly less)
1 tablespoon milk
1 to 2 teaspoons almond extract
1 egg
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar (colored or white)

Heat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, beat 3/4 cup sugar, butter, oil, milk, almond extract and egg until light and fluffy.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Stir flour, balking powder and salt into butter mixture. Blend well.

Spread evenly in ungreased 15x10x1 jelly roll pan; sprinkle with colored sugar.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; cut into bars.

Makes 4 dozen bar cookies.
*Edited a day later: I don't taste an aftertaste now, nor did Shane. I remember wiping a drop of extract off the bottle and licking my finger yesterday. I guess that's what the aftertaste came from.

1 comment:

ashleyjnc said...

I have been looking for this recipe for years. Years I tell you! These cookies were my absolute favorite thing ever as a kid and over the years this silly pilsbury cookbook got lost... and I remember sitting in the kitchen floor as my mom made them staring at the little bellflower shaped cookies saying, "Can we make these sometime??" Anyway, thank you so much!!! I even ordered a copy of the cookbook on amazon.com and I can't wait until I have it in my hot little paws :)