Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Making cookies with my grandmother was always a treat. The memories live with me still, now that I find I am making new memories with my own children using the same recipe that I made with my grandmother as a child. This cookie recipe is very simple and creates a great cookie with a great taste that leaves people asking for more.

The ingredients needed for this recipe:

• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup Sour cream
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4-1/4 cups flour
• 1 cup pecans (optional)

Equipment needed:

• bowl
• spoon
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• cookie sheet
• cooling rack
• cookie cutters

After gathering all the ingredients into one place along with the equipment needed it is time to begin the fun of making cookies. Place the shortening into a large bowl and gradually add the sugar. Cream the two ingredients together. After this mixture is well blended add the eggs. Beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy. It will have a soft yellow appearance.

Add the sour cream, baking soda, and vanilla to the egg mixture. Stir the ingredients well. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix all the ingredients well. Mix in the nuts.

Chill for at least one hour in the refrigerator. While the cookie dough is chilling in the refrigerator grease the cookie sheet and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

If you don't have time to wait for the cookies to chill, try this easy option: Just drop the cookies by the teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet. Let the dough sit for a few minutes, and then flatten the dough with the bottom of a glass.

After chilling the cookie dough, roll out the cookie dough to about 3/16 inch thick. If you want softer sugar cookies, try rolling out the cookie dough on sugar instead of flour. Using the cookie cutters cut into the desired shapes, placing the cut-out dough about one to two inches apart on the greased cookie sheet. If the cookies are not going to be frosted, sprinkle the cookie dough with sugar. (For a festive touch, try colored sugar sprinkles.)

Place cookies into the preheated oven at 375 degrees. Bake the cookies for five to seven minutes or until they are slightly browned. Place the cookies onto a cooling rack.

If the cookies are going to be frosted, wait until they are completely cooled. Decorating the cookies only adds to the making of memories, which of course makes the cookies taste even better, if that is possible.

This recipe makes about two dozen cookies.