Sugar Cookies With A Twist of Fall

It's fall break for the kiddies this week and I'm up to my elbows in toys and annoying movies that are on repeat and all the baking equipment Thing 2 takes out of the cabinets on a daily basis. Did I mention that it's the beginning of said fall break? I don't think I can handle another round of Milo and Otis without some serious medication (read: a bottle of red and a box of dark chocolate).

So, to break the monotony of non-stop movies and the bathing boycott Thing 1 is inexplicable on, we made some sugar cookies. Yeah, not exactly a healthy alternative, I know. But my not-so-little first born is showing an interest in what I do in the kitchen and if I have to foster that with a bit of dessert, I've got not a single drop of worry about it.

I would wager every family has a favorite kind of sugar cookie recipe. Some like them soft and thick, some like them thinner and more shortbread like. We like them on the slightly crispy side but with lots of icing here. And I never use any other recipe than the one I'm about to give you. But, let's be clear here--if you like your cookies a different way, by all means use that. Heck, if it suits you to buy that stuff in the tubes at the store made my anonymous machines in a factory god knows how many miles away and you can still sleep at night, use that.

In a mixer beat together:
1 cup butter, slightly softened
1 1/2 cups confectioner sugar (see, this is why they are crispierish....yes, I know that's not a word)

When fully blended and slightly lighter in texture, add
1 egg
2 tsp extract of choice (vanilla, almond, lemon, raspberry, rum.)

Beat until blended:

In a separate bowl, mix together
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups AP flour
pinch of salt

Add this to the mixer bowl and mix only just until the dry is blended in. Scrape out of the bowl and wrap in plastic wrap to chill before rolling out to cut and bake at 375 for 7 minutes.

OR...


Separate the dough into 3 blocks and mix each with a different color--yellow, red, green, or orange--whatever you like. I prefer gel colors used for buttercream instead of the messy liquid drops, but use what you like.

Wrap separately and chill for at least 30 minutes before continuing on a well-floured work surface.
Break the colors up into smaller pieces and smash together a bit on the counter. Dust liberally with flour before rolling the mass flat to 1/4 inch thickness.

With leaf shaped cutters, cut out your changing leaf cookies. Sprinkle with sanding sugar and/or use a thin knife to cut the leaf veins in. Try not to over mix the scrapes from the first cut when you roll for the second cut.

If your kitchen is a bit warm or the dough is on the soft side, chill on the cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before baking at 375 for 6 1/2-8 minutes.

Keep in an airtight container. separated by waxed paper. This recipe usually yields 3 dozen medium sized sugar cookies.