Grandmother Aida's Sugar Cookies

Grandmother
Aida's Sugar Cookies

This sugar cookie recipe came from my Grandmother and it has never failed me.  They are always light, fluffy and never too sweet which makes them perfect for decorating with your favorite icing.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature is best
• 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperatur
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (heaping)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Using a stand mixer with whisk attachment, whip butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg, mix.  Add sour cream and mix until well blended, scraping down sides once or twice.

Switch to paddle attachment.

In a large bowl whisk together all dry ingredients then add to sugar/butter mixture scraping sides and bottom a few times.  When combined stop mixer and touch/test your dough.... it should not be balled up and cleaning the sides like a bread dough but you don't want it too sticky either.  I usually need to add a touch more flour.

Spoon dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap.   Wrap the dough up and place in refrigerator for a couple of hours before rolling and cutting.  I prefer to let my dough sit and cool in the refrigerator over night.

I roll my dough out to about 1/4", anything thicker and it seems to mess up the shape of the cookie.  If you are using detailed cutters, you will lose A LOT of detail as an overly thick dough rises and bakes.

Bake at 350 for 9 - 11 minutes.  You don't want to see color creeping up the edges, try to keep the browning on just the bottom of the cookie.

(We prefer these cookies the next day.  They seem to settle a little as they sit over night.  This is  NOT necessary, my family happens to be a little picky about texture)