[Cookie 042] Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Hey remember all that talk about autumn and cool weather and pre-storm winds and candy corn and leaves changing colors and October and all that stuff? Well, I don't know what's going on in Weatherland, but it's so gross and hot here in New York! 80º? Humidity? Possible thunderstorms? No. I don't like it, and I feel sweaty all the time.

Fortunately, my roommates and I have found a way to remedy this terrible situation--which, by the way, is only worsened when I bake cookies and heat up the whole apartment. We set the air-conditioner on to environmentally dangerous low temperatures. Problem solved.

Okay, I just realized that I have no idea how to relate that little useless anecdote to this post's cookie, the Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookie, so I apologize. Let me talk about the cookie now. It's fair, nothing special. Exactly like the title suggests. I didn't have any sanding sugar (again) so I used granulated, but it probably would have been better with a chunkier grain to give the outside some texture. But good news!! I got measuring cups and a cookie sheet so baking is easy again!

Anyway, I realize that this is a marvelously pathetic entry (yes, I once again forgot to photograph the final results of the baked cookies!), but I don't really feel like putting my all into it--and anyways, I have a much tastier cookie to blog about next. So get excited, it's going to be very decadent.

But before I part, I'd like to ask you, readers, a question. I bet you can already guess what it's going to be. Here it is: What cookie/type of cookie should I bake next/more of??? Love to hear your responses, lovelies! Until later...

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Makes about 20 (3 1/2 inch) cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks), softened
• 2 large eggs
• Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl; set aside.
2. Put sugars and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed 30 seconds. Add butter; mix until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time, and then the lemon juice. Reduce speed; gradually add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.
3. Scoop dough using a 2-inch ice cream scoop; space cookies 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten cookies slightly with a spatula. Sprinkle tops with sanding sugar, then lightly brush with a wet pastry brush; sprinkle with more sanding sugar.
4. Bake cookies until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks using a spatula; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

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{End Results}
Baking Difficultly: 1/5 (Very simple, as you might guess)
Ingredient Accessibility: 4/5
Tastiness: 3/5 (The lemon zest is a nice touch, but otherwise these are just your traditional sugar cookie)
Attractiveness: 3/5
Is it worth it?: If you want sugar cookies, I guess they are. I'm feeling rather apathetic right now, sorry!

{Pairings}
Drink: Maybe apple juice, to bring back memories of kindergarten snack time?? Yeah!

Song: Raw Sugar -- Metric
Activity: Arts n' Crafts! Beads! Friendship bracelet making session! Nap time!