Sugar Cookies too GOOD to be called just sugar cookies

I promised the secret family recipe from my mother ;)  Well I was never told it was a secret... I just love to hear people tell me how tasty my cookies are!!!!  It is tempting to hoard the recipe and never let anyone else have it... but in all truth when I do make these... they are far too good to give away.  So if I want the world to experience the joy of my mom's Christmas Cut-Outs (aka Sugar cookies) then I will share away.

Susan Laycock's Christmas Cut-Outs (please give credit where due :)

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg

• cream together until smooth... it helps to have room temp shortening.

2 tsp baking powder
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

• combine in a separate bowl.

1/2 cup milk
1tsp vanilla

• Combine these two ingredients together.  Add dry ingredients, creamed ingredients and milk alternately.  Dough WILL be sticky.  Chill in fridge one hour (this is important and makes it easier to work with the dough).  The milk is the 'extra' ingredient that makes such a huge difference from a normal sugar cookie recipe.  Here is where you will begin to roll your dough... BUT BEFORE YOU CAN ROLL IT you will need to ADD A LOT MORE FLOUR!  It was never really in my Mom's recipe but is something I have learned to do.  You can use the whole portion of dough at once or small amounts at a time.  You will need to add flour until the dough won't stick to the counter/rolling pin... or your shapes will just be a mess.  Perhaps add 1/2 cup of flour at a time.  I'm not sure the exact measurements as I usually quadruple this batch to make a ton.  Keep kneading the dough and adding flour until it can be rolled and cut.  I like to roll my cookies thicker which makes for a softer cookie.  Recipe says Roll out 3/8 inches thick on floured surface.  Cut with cookie cutters.  Bake 10-12 min @ 350F until just barely brown on the bottom.  Cool on rack.  Ice cookies.  Make about 2 dozen.

Take the cookies out of the oven just before you think they might be done.  I usually time exactly 11 minutes and unless they are extra thick they should be done.

They are my FAVOURITE cookies!  I usually eat far too many of them which is why I only make them twice a year... Christmas and Valentines for my love, who also loves these cookies :)

Let me know if you have questions... I have been making them for so long that it seems foolproof to me.  I could be wrong?

I just use the regular buttercream icing recipe from the icing sugar bag!  Perfection!  I'm going to eat one now!

Jen