I need a great recipe for a sugar cookie that is thicker and tastes better than the regular hard sugar cookies I've tasted. My friend has a recipe and has made hers to decorate and I've tasted them and I don't think they are that great. Too dense and hard. I want one that when you bite into it it's still soft but holds up nicely. More chewy and less crunchy I guess. I bought one at a cupcake shop the other day and it was so delicious and probably close to a 1/2 inch thick. Of course she wouldn't give out the recipe lol so I'm searching on here. Please help me!!
Thanks in advance!

NFSC recipe:

http://cakecentral.com/recipes/no-fail-sugar-cookies/

Khalsteads modified NFSC:

http://cakecentral.com/recipes/khalsteads-modified-nfsc/

Penny's:

http://cakecentral.com/recipes/pennys-cookies/

HTH

I have my late MIL's cut-out sugar cookie recipe that is the ONLY one I will use. It bakes up soft, moist and holds its shape well for decorating. I use my standard crusting American Buttercream (part shortening-part butter) to ice with. They are almost cake-like but firm If this sounds like something you might be interested in, let me know and I will post the recipe.

I didn't start this post - but chrisseyann - I would love to have your recipe if you would be willing to share!! I do love the NFSC recipe from this site - but also am looking for another recipe that is a bit softer for some Christmas cookies. There is a bakery in our area who makes wonderful cutout cookies and that's all they will say is they use real butter and powdered sugar - does anyone have a recipe like that? They are crisp, yet soft and taste delicious!

I'm afraid my recipe doesn't use real butter OR powdered sugar. I would LOVE to find an awesome recipe that DOES use real butter. Until that happens, I will continue to enjoy this one. I hope you like it.

Cut-Out Cookies

1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup shortening

2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk (add 2 teaspoons baking soda to this in measuring cup, stir)


In large mixing bowl, cream sugars and shortening until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla and mix until well combined.

In separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture and milk mixture alternately to creamed mixture in mixing bowl, beating well after each addition. At this point, I wrap the dough in waxed paper and place in a Ziploc bag overnight ( a few hours will work) to firm it up.

When rolling out your dough, flour your surface quite generously and roll to approximately 1/3 inch thickness. Cut with cutters. Bake in pre-heated 400 degree F oven for 5 to 6 minutes until done. I check after 5 minutes and they are usually done. Cool and ice as desired. Enjoy!

I didn't start this post request, but crisseyann if you don't mind I would like to use your recipe. I 've tried others on here and they are good but I' m still in search for the perfect one.

See above^ It was posted.

I never loved sugar cookies until a friend gave me this recipe:

2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

mix flour, baking powder & salt. In separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk, & extracts to butter mixture. Add flour mixture. Refridgerate about an hour. Bake @ 400 for 9-11 minutes.

Cut-out Cookies

Making cut-out cookies for Christmas is something I learned to do with my mother; however, the recipe I use now comes from the Pillsbury Cookbook. I think this recipe tastes the way fancy cut-out cookies should, very tender and buttery. Because there are no strong flavors in this recipe, I have always used butter instead of margarine. One suggestion is make the cookies and cool them and then frost them later, even the next day. That way you have had a chance to clean up the kitchen and do something else

3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Sift dry ingredients. Cut in the butter till the mixture is very fine crumbs. Add egg, cream and vanilla. Mix ingredients. Dough will be very stiff. Chill 1/2 hour then divide dough into thirds. Roll each third 1/4 inch thick on generously floured surface, move and flour the surface as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Cut out cookies and bake on parchment paper lined cookie sheets at 400 degrees for 5 to 8 minutes. Scrapes can be rolled out again. Cool on racks before frosting the cookies. Makes about 50 cookies.

Frosting for Rolled Sugar Cookies

This recipe makes somewhat more frosting than you will need for just a simple glaze of your cookies. You will not need to make extra if you want to add designs with decorating tips and bag..

4 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup butter, softened
4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix 1 cup powdered sugar and all the butter until smooth. Add 2 more cups of the powdered sugar, blend well. Add liquids and beat well. Add the last cup of powdered sugar gradually, beating well.

Ohhh you all are amazing!! Thank you so much! Now I have to try these all out Thanks for taking the time to post these for me! Love my CC bakers!

I just tried these cookies....they are soooo good and so easy, only 5 ingredients! The texture is very much like you described, and they taste like a cross between a sugar cookie and shortbread cookie. I did use 1 cup of butter and 1 cup of shortening instead of the 2 cups of shortening. And I used 1 tsp of salt as the others suggested: http://cakecentral.com/recipes/bakery-cookies/

Check out the recipe Pam uses. I have used this many times now with good reviews.

http://cookiecrazie.blogspot.com/

Her recipe is in FAQs. She also shares tutorials.

This is the one I have been using with great success!

http://www.cheapcookiecutters.com/pages/best-sugar-cookie-recipe-for-cookie-cutters

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.


Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 109 | Total Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 26mg

I also use Pam's recipe. However, I think I may be trying some of the others listed in this post as well!

I use the same recipe as CookieArtist...it's a really good recipe. It's a very good recipe...holds its shape very well!!