Sour-Cream Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs

Submitted by The_Swedish_Chef

"I always thought that "cut-out" cookies were difficult so I never even attempted them. But, when I found this recipe and saw the beautiful cookies that resulted from it, I bit my lip and decided to give it a go. Of all the cookies I made that year, 1996, these were every person's favourite cookie! Who knew?! Since then, I've made these throughout the years and also, throughout the year, using different cutters for the various occasions in life. Use either a glaze, Royal Icing, or shake coloured sugars on top to decorate your cookies. I prefer to use lemon oil in these but at other times I will add 1 teaspoon of vanilla, almond or rosewater to change the flavour. Also, there are times that I will add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, cardamom or ground lavender to these cookies. They adapt very easily to your own preferences."

 

• Ready In: 3hrs 5mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 50 cookies

ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup butter (no substitutes)
• 1⁄3 cup Crisco
• 2 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1⁄3 cup sour cream (full fat only)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons boyajian lemon oil (or finely grated lemon peel)

directions

1. NOTE: Ingredients and Directions for Glazing Icing is at bottom of Directions.
2. Beat butter and shortening about 30 seconds or until softened.
3. Add sugar, egg, sour cream, baking powder, lemon oil and half of the flour.
4. Beat until thoroughly combined, scraping side of bowl. Beat or stir in the remaining flour.
5. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill for 2 to 3 hours or until easy to handle.
6. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Cut with desired cookie cutter, dipped in flour to prevent sticking. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Bake at 375 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes or until edges are firm and very lightly browned. Slide parchment paper with cookies attached onto counter top to cool for 5 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

8. GLAZING ICING:

9. If you choose to decorate your cut-outs with coloured icing, blend 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in small saucepan. Boil until 1st indication of threads appear (230 degrees). Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 cup powdered sugar. If icing becomes sugary while using, reheat slightly with several drops of water.

Reviews

[MaMere]

what a beautiful little cookie these make! I made 4 different batches of cookies today, and taste tested every kind, these are by far my favs!<br/>thank you for sharing SC! will be my "go to" cut out cookie

 

[evankelly]

I made this recipe with my 5 and 2 year old grand-daughters, and EVERYBODY was eating the cookies, as fast as we could make them! They were delicious. Most of all, the dough was easy to work with. I even mixed in a little extra flour, because I wanted the kids to be able to cut them out and put them on the pan and decorate them with out the cookies breaking apart, but I probably didn't need to add flour.