Soft Sugar Cookies for St. Patrick's Day

I have been wanting to try this recipe for a while.  I have seen it on numerous blogs all stating that these cookies are supposed to taste like those big frosted sugar cookies you see at the grocery store.  I know, cookies from the store are supposed to be bad, but how many people out there have never tried one of these?  For me, when my kids were younger, they were always the thing I would pick up from the store when my kids were supposed to take refreshments to something, but I didn't have time to bake.  After all, the kids seemed to love them, and if I were lucky there would be one left over for me.  So, when I was looking for something to make for St. Patrick's Day, I knew these would be perfect - after all, they are supposed to have colored icing and sprinkles, right.  These cookies do really taste very much like the store bought version, but they are better - more buttery and maybe a little less sweet.  I will warn you that having them around can be dangerous, so you might want to make them when you have plenty of people around to eat them.  My husband is used to me wanting to get my baked treats out of the house so I won't eat them, so he has offered to take them to work, but I haven't said yes yet.  I keep thinking that I might just want one more!




There are several of these recipes going around on the internet.  Honestly, I have not compared them to see if they are all the same, but I got this one from one of my favorite blogs Annie's Eats.

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

Cookie Ingredients:
4½ cups all-purpose flour
4½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
3 large eggs
5 tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients:
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
6-8 tbsp. milk
Food coloring (optional)
Sprinkles (optional)

You will need to preheat your oven to 350 degrees before baking the cookies, but because the dough needs to be refrigerated, you won't need to do it now.  Just turn in on about 20 minutes before you expect to put the cookies in.  Line cookie sheets with parchment.  Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl whisking to evenly distribute the ingredients.  Set aside.  Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium.  Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition.  Add the vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined.  Add the flour mixture and mix on low until combined.  Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Use a 1/4 cup scoop to measure the dough for each cookie.  Roll the dough into a ball and then flatten it into a disc about one half inch thick.  Place the cookies on the parchment lined cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until just set.  You don't want them to brown.  Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for about five minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

To make the frosting, put the confectioners' sugar, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium until combined.  Add milk a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency.  If you are want colored frosting, add the food coloring and mix until color is well combined.  Spread the frosting on the cooled cookies and top with sprinkles, if desired.

Yield: 24 cookies

Source:  Annie's Eats