Charlita Varner's Sugar Cookies

Basic Sugar Cookie Recipe

•  8 oz. butter (softened)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt

 

1. Beat butter and sugars together until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. 
2. Wrap dough in plastic wrap. Chill for at least one hour. 
3. Roll tablespoonful balls and flatten. Sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

 

Variations

 

1) Key lime sandwiches: Make basic cookie recipe.  Remove zest from one lime and add to basic cookie recipe.Bake cookies as above. When cooled, spread bottom of one cookie with two tablespoons of key lime cream.Top with another cookie (key lime cream: 4 oz butter, softened; 8 oz cream cheese, softened; one cup of powdered sugar and zest of one lime).

 

2) Pistachio wedding cookies: Make basic cookie recipe. Add 3/4 cup of ground pistachios. Chill at least one hour. Roll teaspoon balls. Bake 20 to 25 minutes at 325 degrees. Cool slightly rolled balls into powdered sugar to coat. Roll again after cooling completely.