One out of four American women read Family Circle and collect their foolproof, all-purpose recipes. Now the magazine's editors have compiled a generous collection of more than 200 of their favorite cakes, cookies, pies, tarts, and fancy desserts in Best-Ever Cakes & Cookies. Best known for old-fashioned favorites, Family Circle delivers with recipes such as
Everyone needs a basic sugar cookie and this is one of our best. Even better, we offer 7 additional ways to shape and flavor the basic recipe.
Makes 5 dozen cookies
Prep 20 minutes
Refrigerate 2 hours
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes
Basic Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick} butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
With a mixer on medium speed, beat sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture. Shape into a 15-inch-long log; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place on ungreased baking sheets, reshaping into rounds if necessary.
Bake in heated 350 degree oven 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly golden around edges. Remove baking sheets to wire racks and cool 1 minute. Remove cookies to racks and let cool completely.
Thumbprint Cookies
Prepare Sugar Cookie dough steps 1 and 2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut log into 1/2-inch thick slices. Roll each slice into a ball. (If sliced dough is too stiff to work with, let soften at room temperature about 10 minutes.} Place on ungreased baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Indent center of each ball by pressing with your thumb. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon any flavor jam into each indentation. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly golden around edges.
Makes about 30 cookies
Lemon Sugar Cookies
Prepare Sugar Cookie dough steps 1 and 2, beating 4 teaspoons grated lemon rind into butter mixture. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons decorating sugar over slices, dividing equally. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are golden around edges.
Makes about 60 cookies
Almond Sugar Cookies
Toast 3/4 cup slivered almonds; cool. Grind nuts (you should have 3/4 cup}. Prepare Sugar Cookie dough steps 1 and 2, adding 1/2 cup ground nuts to dry ingredients (reserve remaining nuts} and beating 1/2 teaspoon almond extract into butter mixture. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon reserved ground nuts over each slice. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are golden around edges.
Ginger Sugar Cookies
Prepare Sugar Cookie dough steps 1 and 2, adding another 1/4 cup flour and 1 teaspoon ground ginger to dry ingredients and beating 1 tablespoon mild molasses into butter mixture. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Lightly dip tines of a fork into some flour; firmly press a crisscross design onto each slice. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are slightly darkened around edges.
Makes about 40 cookies
Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies
Prepare Sugar Cookie dough steps 1 and 2, stirring 1 cup chocolate chips into mixed dough and shaping dough into a 10-inch long log. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut log into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until cookies are lightly golden around edges.
Makes about 20 cookies
Mocha Sugar Cookies
Prepare Sugar Cookie dough steps 1 and 2, adding 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and an additional 1/4 teaspoon salt to dry ingredients. Stir 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder into egg before beating it into butter mixture. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly darkened around edges.
When cookies are cool, melt 3 ounces semisweet chocolate; spoon into a small plastic bag. Snip off a corner of bag and drizzle chocolate over 30 cookies. In the same way, melt and drizzle 3 ounces white baking chocolate over remaining 30 cookies.
Makes 60 cookies
Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prepare Sugar Cookie dough steps 1 and 2, adding 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to dry ingredients and stirring 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips and 1/2 cup finely chopped dry-roasted unsalted peanuts into mixed dough. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut log into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Measure 2 tablespoons granulated sugar onto a piece of waxed paper. For each cookie, dampen bottom of a small glass with water and dip into sugar; press down on cookie to flatten to about 2 inches in diameter. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until cookies are slightly darkened around edges.
When cookies are cool, mix 1 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter with 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Spread half of cookies with 2 teaspoons mixture. Sandwich with remaining cookies.
Makes 15 sandwich cookies
Cookies at the Ready
This recipe offers yet another plus: You can make up a batch of dough and refrigerate it for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months, then enjoy the homemade taste whenever the spirit moves you. When ready to use, thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator.
