The key to any good sugar cookie is what you have to offset the sweetness. In this cookie, for example, the sour cream adds a nice contrast.
A family recipe provided by Jennifer Kiel of Washington, DC, from her mother-in-law’s collection, started in Kent, Ohio.
Old Fashioned Soft Sugar Cookies
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup dairy sour cream
Cinnamon-sugar
Cream butter to consistency of mayonnaise; add sugar gradually, while continuing to cream. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy.
Mix and sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
For 3-inch cookies drop by heaping teaspoonfuls on well-greased cookie sheets, well apart. With spatula, flatten into circles about two inches in diameter.
For super-size 5-inch cookies use 1/4 cup measure of batter and flatten into 4-inch circles. Bake at 400 degrees 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 30 3 inch cookies or 18 5-inch.
For chocolate sugar cookies add 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled to creamed mixture.
For raisin sugar cookies add 1 cup seedless raisins to creamed mixture.