Martha's Sugar Cookies

Martha's Sugar Cookies

Recipe makes about six dozen cookies

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir (don't use the mixer for this part) in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight). I have refrigerated it for several days, and it's fine too.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use sugar on your rolling pin instead of flour so it doesn't stick to the dough. This dough tends to be sticky no matter what. Roll out dough on parchment paper (which you should already have on your cookie sheet) 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick (thin seems to work better). Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Remove excess dough from the parchment paper.

Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Watch these cookies. They bake quickly. Cool and top with icing or the like.


Martha's Cookie Icing/Topping

**You may need to double this for the cookies listed above.
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
assorted food coloring


In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup (I usually add more corn syrup).

If you want to add food coloring, divide into separate bowls. Use a pastry brush to spread the icing. If desired, immediately top with colored sugar sprinkles.

Let the cookies sit for awhile. They may be tacky from the icing.