2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable shortening
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons almond extract
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
colored sugars, jimmies, non-pareils or dragées (optional)
decorating icing (optional)
In a mixing bowl, beat together sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Stir in eggs, sour cream and almond extract; beat well. In another bowl, stir together flour and baking soda. Stir flour mixture into shortening mixture until well combined. If necessary, add enough extra flour so that the dough forms a ball. Divide dough into 4 parts. Wrap each part in plastic wrap and chill about 2 hours. Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Roll out to 1/4-inch thickness between two sheets of waxed paper. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. If desired, decorate with colored sugars, jimmies, or dragées. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges of cookies are golden. Allow to cool one minute on cookie sheets and then remove to wire racks to cool completely. If cookies were not decorated before baking, decorate with icing.
Note: Yield depends on how big your cookie cutters are.
A cookie baker in Buffalo NY Mar 14, 2005
Would make this again.
This is the best recipe for cutout cookies that I have ever baked. DELICIOUS! DELICIOUS!
So easy to make. I put the dough in the freezer for 20 min. as suggested by a reviewer It worked great
Dec 22, 2004
Would make this again.
These were awesome cookies and I've had so many requests for the recipe so they were definately a hit. This will be my all-time favorite recipe...it's a keeper!
rani jenkins in cinci, ohio Dec 1, 2004
Would make this again.
these were very goood-instead of putting in fridge for 2 hours-put in freezer for 20 min-they press very easy-use frosting with powd.sugar/cream/butter-it is perfect-very very yummy! i have always had a hard time with frosting-not this time-
Becki Duffey in Hebron Ohio Jan 31, 2004
Would make this again.
These are the best, I made them this past Christmas and took them to work everyone said they were the best they have ever had. I'm getting ready to make some for tomorrow. THANKS
Melissa Bailey in CT. Jan 14, 2004
Would not make this again.
the reviews for these cookies made them sound alot better than they were. They didn't have much flavor at all. I'll stick with my own sugar cookie recipe next time.
jeanine in Rhode Island Jan 9, 2004
Would not make this again.
They taste great but alot of work. I needed to do this quick and in a large quanity for my daughter's snowflake dance.
Donna in Beach Park, Illinois Jan 7, 2004
Would make this again.
It has been a long time that I have made sugar cookies that were this good! I liked the fact that they stayed soft until they were all gone. Looks like I'll be making more for Valentine's Day! Thanks
Anna in Michigan Dec 28, 2003
Would not make this again.
I thought they were terrible....I've had better....wouldn't waste my time again.
Mark in St Cloud Minn. Dec 23, 2003
Would make this again.
The cookies are the greatest ever, soft not hard . Now I'm looking for a great icing to compliment such a great recipe. Thank you.
A cookie baker in Alaska Dec 20, 2003
Would make this again.
Yummy! These were the best cookies I've ever made! There is absolutely nothing that I would want to change about this cookie recipe. All the measurements were perfect! If you wanted to add a bit of a twist it would be delicious to dip the cookie in melted chocolate, it would also look great!
