Basic Sugar Cookie Dough

I really like this recipe because it offer such a variety of options. It is great if you have to contribute to a bake sale for the holidays. It is also good for cookie exchanges.

Basic Sugar Cookie Dough [3 variations ]

ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup butter, softened
1 3 – ounce package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla

directions

In a medium bowl, combine flour and cornstarch; set aside.
In large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon.

Chocolate Drizzled Crescents

ingredients

Basic Sugar Cookie Dough
2 tablespoons whiskey, rum or brandy (for vanilla)
3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons shortening
3 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped

directions

Prepare Basic Sugar Cookie Dough as directed, except substitute the 2 tablespoons whiskey for the 1 tablespoon vanilla. Continue as directed. Tightly wrap dough with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
Pinch off pieces of dough the size of a walnut (about 1-1/2-inch balls). Roll each piece into a 3-inch log; shape logs into crescents, tapering ends slightly. Place crescents about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are firm when touched lightly and bottoms are very lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool. Makes 36 crescents.
To decorate, in a heavy small saucepan, heat and stir bittersweet chocolate and 1 teaspoon of the shortening over low heat until melted and smooth. In another heavy small saucepan, heat and stir white baking chocolate and remaining 1 teaspoon shortening over low heat until melted and smooth. Drizzle each crescent with some of the bittersweet chocolate and then drizzle with some of the white chocolate. Place crescents on waxed paper and let stand until set.

storage

To Store: Place plain cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Shining Star Sandwich Cookies

ingredients

Basic Sugar Cookie Dough
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup cherry or currant jelly or apricot jam
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or ground cinnamon
Powdered sugar
Cherry or currant jelly or apricot jam, melted and cooled

directions

Prepare Basic Sugar Cookie Dough. Divide dough in half and tightly wrap each piece with plastic wrap. Cover and chill for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough (keep remaining dough in refrigerator) until 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Using a 2-1/2- to 3-inch star shaped cookie cutter, cut dough. Using a 1- to 1-1/2-inch star shaped cookie cutter, cut holes in the centers of half of the cookies. Place about 1-1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 6 to 7 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly brown. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool. Makes 40 cookies
For filling: In a medium bowl, stir together the 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup jelly, almond extract and nutmeg until well combined.
To assemble, sift additional powdered sugar over tops of cookies with holes in centers. Spread filling on the bottoms of the cookies without holes. Top each of these cookies with the remaining cookies, powdered sugar side up. Fill the hole of each cookie with a small spoonful of additional jelly.

Rosemary & Lemon Ribbons

ingredients

Basic Sugar Cookie Dough
2 teaspoons finely snipped fresh rosemary or 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, finely crushed
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice

directions

Prepare Basic Sugar Cookie Dough as directed, except add rosemary and lemon peel with the sugar.
For rolled-out ribbons and/or cutout diamonds: Divide dough in half and tightly wrap each piece with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
For ribbons: On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough (keep remaining dough in refrigerator) into a 16×10-inch rectangle. Using a fluted pastry wheel, cut each rectangle lengthwise into eight 1-1/4-inch strips. Cut strips crosswise into 4-inch pieces. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. If you like, curve pieces slightly. Continue as directed in step 5.
For diamonds: On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough (keep remaining dough in refrigerator) until 1/4 inch thick. Using a 2-1/2×1-3/4-inch diamond-shaped cutter with fluted sides, cut out dough. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake in 375 degree F oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are firm when lightly touched and bottoms are very lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool. Makes 64.
To decorate, in a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk, and lemon juice. Stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until drizzling consistency. Drizzle a very thin line of glaze in a zigzag pattern over tops of cookies. Let set before serving.

Source Recipes from: Midwest Living