Welcome to The Recipe Corner, your new go-to spot for simple, delicious, and stress –free goodies straight from my kitchen to your phone screen. If you have snow plowed your way into this wilderness of arctic tundra, then you may as well bundle up, stay a while, and learn how to may Two Way Sugar Cookies.
Our oldest kiddo isn’t much for snacks, but when he mentioned that I haven’t made him sugar cookies in at least a year (“the circle kind and not the cut-out kind,” he stated), I knew I had to suck it for an afternoon and get behind the baking sheet.
This is one of my favorite cookie recipes because there are multiple ways to make and bake them.
You can do them traditionally, which consists of rolling them in granulated sugar, placing them on the pan and chilling them in the fridge for an hour, and then putting them in the oven. But if you’re a busy mom like me who is just trying to bring a little happiness to your teenaged mini-me, you can roll out those bad boys and just bake them plain and ordinary.
Now, before we thaw out, let’s get to the good stuff!
For this recipe, you’re going to need two and a half cups of all-purpose flour, a half of a teaspoon of baking powder, a half of teaspoon of baking soda, a half of a teaspoon of salt, one and half sticks of room temperature butter, one and one fourth cups of sugar, one large egg plus one egg yolk, and two teaspoons of vanilla extract.
*If you’re doing the traditional way, you’re also going to need an additional one fourth of a cup of sugar to roll your cookie balls in.*
I would recommend using a stand mixer for this dough, but a hand mixer, a spatula, and some elbow grease will also work.
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In your stand mixer, cream together your butter and sugar, and then incorporate your egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
Beat your dry ingredients into your wet mixture about a cup at a time until a firm dough forms. You may have to use your hands to knead it a bit and bring it all together.
Pinch off pieces of the cookie dough and roll them into one-inch balls. *If you’re rolling them in the sugar, now is the time to complete that step. *
Place the balls on the parchment-lined cookie sheet about three inches apart. *For those who would like to do so, place them in the fridge to chill for an hour. *
When baking, the two-way name also comes into play by the consistency that you want your cookie. The kids like them crunchy, but we like them chewy.
For crunchy cookies, bake eight to ten minutes until the tops are almost set and the bottoms are just starting to turn golden brown. For a chewy cookie, bake until the tops are slightly puffy, and the bottom is set. As they cool, the cookie will flatten out and continue to crinkle.
Take the cookies off the baking pan by sliding the corner of your parchment paper onto the counter. Let them cool completely before serving.
*BE SURE TO ONLY BAKE ONE PAN AT A TIME. Do not overbake your cookies. The result is a hard sugary piece of concrete not fit for consumption. Please keep a close eye on them while they are in the oven. I learned the hard way, so I’m saving you some steps and stress. *
Keep your apron close and your oven closer, and check back in at The Recipe Corner for new editions each month. There’s bound to be something here that will have your kitchen smelling amazing, and the mama in you smacking hands away from a plate.
Stay tuned for more confections and obsessions to get you through the winter weather, and make sure to keep your fur babies warm, toasty, and protected during the freezing temperatures. If the polar nights aren’t something you would sleep in, then it’s not something they should have to endure either.
