Drop Sugar Cookies

This recipe is a favorite from my childhood that I recently made as holiday treats for my co-workers. They are quick and easy and very unique. They are soft, light and cakey. I'm told that they taste like old-school Archway soft sugar cookies, but, having grown up in a household that did not believe in store bought cookies, I'll have to take other people's word for it. These are fun because you can add some food coloring to make them festive for a special occasion, and also because THEY ARE DELICIOUS.

This recipe originates from my great grandmother and, other than adding some food coloring, I never alter it. It makes a lot of cookies, so you could easily cut it in half, but, why would you want LESS deliciousness???? :-)



(For a printable version of this recipe, click here)
Drop Sugar Cookies (Yield - 3-4 dozen cookies)

2 cups white sugar (plus extra for topping)
1 cup shortening
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 heaping teaspoon baking soda
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional: Food Coloring

Step #1 - Preheat oven to 357* F.

Step #2 - Using a mixer, beat together the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and shortening until fluffy.

Step #3-In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt and soda. If you are planning to use food coloring, add it to your buttermilk now. This will help it mix in to the batter well.

Step #4 - Add the flour mixture to the shortening mixture 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with the butter milk. Mix until smooth, but try not to over beat the batter. (They will go flat if the batter is over beaten.)

Step #5 - Drop spoonfuls of batter, approximately 1 tablespoon in size, onto a well greased or parchment covered baking sheet.

Step #6 - Fill one small bowl (or mug) with water and one with sugar.  Dip a glass first in the water, then in the sugar so that the bottom is nicely coated in sugar. Flatten the top of each cookie with the sugar covered glass so that each cookie-top is coated in sugar.

Step #7 - Bake for 8-10 minutes until set and only golden around the bottom edges. Do not over bake.