Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Cookies Are Made With Butter and Love

Just realized that this is my 100th post!




There are always memories that play a part in why a cookie recipe becomes a family tradition - a standard that is baked Christmas after Christmas in a mother's kitchen.





When I was a little girl, my dad would drive quite a ways in greater Chicagoland to stock up on goodies from an old bakery in Oak Park.  My mom did not bake and maintained that if God had intended her to bake, he would not have invented Sara Lee.  Many times Dad would take me along on these outings.  This delicious place was called Smithfield Bakery, and my mouth still waters when I remember the cakes and donuts and cream cheese sweet rolls and bear claws and eclairs.  And, of course, the cookies!  They were huge - about the size of the palm of my father's hand.


                          "Now that's a cookie!" he would say.





Smithfield's baked many varieties, but the most outstanding were the sugar cookies.  On a winter night, Dad would brew a pot of coffee after dinner and dunk his cookie in the hot mug.  I either had milk or maybe some cocoa.  We would sit together on the couch to watch Rocky and Bullwinkle.  Good god, that man loved Boris and Natasha and even Mr Peabody.





Years later my wedding cake was baked by Smithfield's.  I became a young wife and soon a young mother.  I taught myself to bake and
have always loved it.  For years I tried one sugar cookie recipe after another searching for one that tasted like those from my childhood.  Too crispy, too flat, too sweet.  Finally I tried the recipe I am sharing with you today.  Really, the only singular ingredient is the sour cream.  Oh my stars - what a difference it makes.  When I took my first bite, I knew I had found the holy grail of recipes.








As my boys grew, they chose their own cookie cutter shapes and
dumped way too many red and green sprinkles on as they helped with the decorating.  I love these cookies best topped with just plain white sugar.



  

                               Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour               1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder                     1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon baking soda                       1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg                               Topping:
1 cup soft butter or shortening                 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups sugar


  1. Sift flour with baking powder, soda, salt, and nutmeg; set aside.
  2. In large bowl use mixer at medium speed, beat butter, sugar, and egg until light and fluffy.  (I never use a mixer; a wooden spoon works just as well, and goodness knows I have enough of those!  Also, I much prefer Buttery Crisco shortening.)
  3. At low speed, beat in sour cream and vanilla until smooth.
  4. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well combined.
  5. With rubber scraper, form dough into a ball.  Wrap in waxed paper or foil; refrigerate several hours, or overnight.
  6. Divide dough into 4 parts.  Refrigerate until ready to roll out.
  7. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Lightly grease cookie sheets.
  8. On well-floured surface, roll dough, one part at a time, 1/4 inch thick. (Go thicker than that.)
  9. With floured, 2 1/2 inch round or scalloped cookie cutter, cut out cookies.  Using spatula, place, 2 inches apart, on cookie sheets.  
  10. Sprinkle tops of cookies with sugar.  Reroll trimmings, and cut.
  11. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden.  Remove to wire rack; cool.  (Be sure not to overbake.  I usually go for 9 minutes and let them sit on the tray for another couple minutes.  I just cool  them on the counter top.)



Hope you enjoy these as much as we do.  It's actually a recipe I make occasionally at other times of the year.  At Christmas, though, I always have pretty paper sacks so that all our family and friends can take a selection of cookies home after the festivities.


  


Every year when I have one warm from the oven, I think about my crazy, wonderful dad and wish he was there to help me eat them.


                    Don't forget to leave a few out for Santa.
                                  They are his favorite!


              "Happy Christmas to all and to all a Good Night." 



Links to Cookie Day Participants

abby

Ashly
Bleue 
Cat 
collared mom 
David
DF 
greengirl 
His slut 
JZ 
Katie 
Kelly 
Lilli 
Lindy
Mrs. Fever 
Ms. Constance
nilla
Olivia 
ronnie 
Ryan 
Sassy 

31 comments:

  1. Oh, that looks like an amazing recipe, but i really, really love the story behind. Your Dad sounds wonderful, but i can appreciate your Mom's comment - lots of housewifery that i avoid in that same way! i think i'm new to your blog too, so i'll look forward to coming over later to visit.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Welcome, Olivia!
      So glad you stopped by today. Any cooking I learned was from my dad. Mom was funny and friendly, but no one would ever call her domestic.

      Please visit again soon!
      Ella

      Delete
  2. Hi, Ella,
    This sounds wonderful. I have a good sugar cookie recipe, but I have a feeling this one may very well top that. I will give it a go for my son's class program tomorrow night. Thanks for the wonderful idea and the beautiful story behind it!
    --Baker

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello, Baker,
      As I said cookies always have memories attached. Hope your family likes them, too.

      Hugs From Ella

      Delete
  3. Thank you Ella. Sounds wonderful and delicious. I loved the story behind it, beautiful.

    Love,
    Ronnie
    xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ronnie,
      Any craziness in my bag of tricks I credit to my dad. He was a character.

      Love,
      Ella

      Delete
  4. What wonderful memories these invoke for you, Ella! Thanks for sharing with us (the memories and the recipe)! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was the most incredible bakery ever. Of course, there were lots of tastes and nibbles while Dad was choosing the goodies.

      Thanks for coming today, Lilli!

      Delete
  5. Hi Ella, ooh, these sound so yummy and I really enjoyed reading the story behind these, what wonderful memories! Thank you for sharing :)

    Hugs
    Roz

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Roz,
      I have so many great memories of my dad, but so many centered around the kitchen. Even as an adult, Dad would come up with some new recipe for us to make together.

      Hugs From Ella

      Delete
  6. Ella,
    I consider myself an expert cookie baker who litterally cannot stay out of the cookie jar. I have several sun breaks coming up in the new year and it is best if I retrain from baking. I will bake on batch of my famous spritz and that will satisty my sweet tooth hopefully. Your recipe looks wonderful and there are no calories in looking.......... I hope!
    Meredith

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Meredith,
      You are so right! I have to be really careful. Sam actually helps me stay sensible. And as you would say, "Boy, Howdy" do I love spritz cookies!

      Ella

      Delete
  7. Oh Ella! This sounds wonderful. I have a sugar cookie recipe that has been my go to recipe for decades now (My SIL's family recipe)but the addition of sour cream intrigues me. I'm going to try this!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad you came to visit today! The sour cream makes the cookies dense but tender. You hardly need to chew; they just melt in your mouth.

      Thanks little monkey. Enjoy!

      Delete
  8. Thank you for sharing your memories and cookies. One to try with the kids.
    hugs DF

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, DF. Get plenty of decorations and expect a really big mess. That's how you make a memory, my friend.

      Hugs Across the Pond,
      Ella

      Delete
  9. Aw Ella! Loved your story and it made me laugh. My mum was like that with cooking (though she could bake anything), cheers for self-sufficiency, yes?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep, Bleue. First thing Sam did when we got married was to buy me a cookbook. For him, it was survival, I think.

      Ella

      Delete
  10. Hi Ella! :) There is nothing like a good sugar cookie, and I love that you shared your special recipe for them! I love trying others' recipes, especially for tried and true baked goods. Sour cream sounds like a wonderful addition. I will be making these in the very near future!

    I so loved the story that you told about going with your Dad to the bakery. Such special memories! SO cute about Rocky & Bullwinkle! Thanks and many hugs,

    <3 Katie t

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Katie! Very glad you mentioned Rocky and Bullwinkle. It was a favorite at our house along with bakery cookies. You will love the taste. It is unique and just delicious.

      Ella Loves Sweets

      Delete
  11. These look great, Ella! Thanks for sharing you wonderful memories and awesome recipe. Will definitely add to my 'to be made' list.

    Hugs and blessings...Cat

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are so many new things to try this year. Now that I have cut back my work hours, I am planning on a Bake-a-Thon.

      You always bless us, Cat.

      Delete
  12. I think you should decorate one as Mr. Peabody.
    (Who was always my favorite)

    These sound oh-so yummy, thanks!
    (and thanks for playing along.) :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JZ, you are the founder of the cookie feast today! Many thanks. I have so many sites to visit. Wish I did not have to work tomorrow. Don't worry. I will make it to every single recipe. :)

      Thank you, Sweet Lady,
      Ella

      Delete
  13. Ella what a lovely childhood memory. Those cookies sure do sound delicious. Might have to give them a go. Thanks for sharing.

    Hugs Lindy xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lindy,
      Most people have memories of Mom baking cookies, but that was not her calling. I loved when I got to bake with my aunt or grandmother.

      Sending Hugs and Cookies Downunder,
      Ella

      Delete
  14. Be sure to save a few of them for me. I love sugar cookies.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Sunny, it figures that you would love these! I always think they look like sunshine in a cookie. Shall give it some thought on how I could get a few to you, my friend.

    Ella

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  16. Ella, I nearly missed this post as I seldom eat cookies and skipped the cookie exchanges. Congratulations on your 100th post! I loved the story that came with the recipe.
    Rosie xx

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  17. I love the story behind your cookie recipe. :-) And congratulations on your 100th post! :-) Hugs

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  18. I'm running late on this one but so glad I caught it. I loved reading about the memories of your dad and your favourite bakery, they are beautiful. We have been searching for a good sugar cookie recipe and thanks to you I've found the one. We will bake these cookies and when I sit to have one with tea or coffee I will quietly think of you and this post. Thanks for the recipe and for sharing your memories.

    ReplyDelete