Ethel's Sugar Cookies & Glaze

My Aunt Sherry was kind enough to share one of her favorite cookie recipes. For those of you who don't know Sherry Hart, she is an AMAZING baker. She was kind enough to make my wedding cake and Joe's groom's cake and I must say they couldn't have looked or tasted better. I am quite jealous of her culinary skills and her custom cake room (yes, she's so good that she got to build her own "baking studio" separate from her kitchen). So, anyway, the next time you want to make some sugar cookies, try this recipe, since it is approved by the expert!!

This sugar cookie recipe is from the 1963 Betty Crocker's Cooky Book. The accompanying glaze recipe is of unknown origin. Sherry does warn that the glaze can get messy, but who doesn't like a little glaze in their hair every now and again.

Ethel's Sugar Cookies
Mix dough as directed. Using part of dough and keeping rest chilled, lightly roll dough to desired thickness; the thinner you roll, the crisper the cookies. Rub flour into rolling pin cover and cloth to prevent sticking.
To cut: dip cookie cutter in flour, shake off excess, cut with steady pressure. Cut as many cookies from each rolling as possible. Carefully lift cut-out cookies to baking sheet with spatula. Bake.

3/4 cup shortening (part butter or margarine)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. lemon flavoring or 1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Mix shortening, sugar, eggs, and flavoring thoroughly. Measure flour or by sifting. Stir flour, baking powder, and salt together; blend in. Chill at least 1 hour.
Heat oven to 400F. Roll dough 1/8" thick on lightly floured board. Cut with 3" cookie cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until cookies are a delicate golden color. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Note: if you use self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt.

Sugar Cookie Glaze
6 cups powdered sugar
½ tsp salt
1/3 cup white karo syrup
½ cup water

Mix all of the ingredients well. Place cookie sheet underneath a cookie/cake cooling rack to catch drips. Pour, spoon on, and/or brush glaze on cookies. Add sprinkles before glaze sets. I take the rack off the cookie sheet and hold it over the sink to sprinkle. Scrape the drips from the cookie sheet back into the bowl for re-use. I use my one-cup or two-cup measuring cup that has a pouring indentation on it for the glaze. It’s easier to hold and pour from than a bowl. If glazing large quantities, keep a moist paper towel over your glaze in the measuring cup so that it won’t crust over.

NOTE: BUY POWDERED SUGAR IN 2 LB BAGS, NOT THE 1 LB BOX.