The Ultimate Sugar Cookies

I'm always on the lookout for good classic cookie recipes (chocolate chip, sugar, etc.). To date, this is the best sugar cookie recipe I've found. This recipe tastes delightful and has a pleasant aftertaste making it a winner.
The Ultimate Sugar Cookie
courtesy of The Cookie Bible

1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup butter flavor crisco
2 eggs
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups plus 4 tablespoons flour, divided
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Decorations of your choice

Combine sugar and 1 cup shortening in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, syrup and vanilla. Beat until well blended and fluffy.

Combine 3 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add gradually to creamed mixture at low speed. (Tip: For well-defined cookie edges, or if dough is too sticky or too soft to roll, do the following: Wrap each quarter of dough with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour. Keep dough balls refrigerated until ready to roll.)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place sheets of foil on countertop for cooling cookies. Spread 1 tablespoon flour on large sheet of waxed paper. Place one fourth of dough on paper. Flatten slightly with hands. Turn dough over and cover with another large sheet of waxed paper. Roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove top sheet of waxed paper.

Cut out cookies with floured cutter. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet with large pancake turner. Place 2 inches apart. Roll out remaining dough. Sprinkle with grandulated sugar, colored sugar crystals, decors or leave plain to frost or decorate when cooled.

Bake one baking sheet at a time at 375 degrees for 5 to 9 minutes, depending on size of cookies. (Bake smaller, thinner cookies closer to 5 minutes, larger cookies closer to 9 minutes.) DO NOT OVERBAKE! Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to foil to cool completely, then frost as desired.

Yield: 3 to 4 dozen cookies

Sam's Carrot Cake

I've always thought carrot cake was good, but if had a choice between that and anything chocolate-y or pretty much anything else, I'd go with anything else. Carrot cake would be my last choice---that is until Dave discovered this recipe. He found it on Allrecipes(dot)com and it's the only recipe I've ever seen that recieved not one negative comment out of the 100s of reviews it recieved. None of the comments recommended you change anything either, another rarity! So we thought we'd try it. Wow!! It really is an incredible cake! It's incredibly moist and delicious!

Sam's Famous Carrot Cake

courtesy of Allrecipes(dot)com

3 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8x12 inch pan. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour mixture and mix well.

In a medium bowl, combine shredded carrots, coconut, walnuts, pineapple and raisins. Using a large wooden spoon or a very heavy whisk, add carrot mixture to batter and fold in well.

Pour into prepared 8x12 inch pan, and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour. Check with toothpick. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Cocoa Gingerbread Cookies

I'm not a huge fan of gingerbread unless it comes in the chocolate covered version in the form of lebkuchen, so when I tried this version at my Mom-in-law's ward enrichment night a couple Christmas's ago, I decided it was a keeper. And when you drizzle chocolate on top, anything's good, right? :) (decorating courtesy of Samuel)

Cocoa Gingerbread Cookies
(courtesy of Karren Whitaker’s friend from Church--my apologies, I couldn't find the original recipe with her name on it)

¼ cup butter, softened
2 Tablespoons shortening
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup dark molasses
1 egg
1 ½ cup flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment. Cream butter, shortening, brown sugar, and molasses in a large bowl. Add egg; beat until light. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves in a small bowl. Blend into creamed mixture until smooth. (If dough is too soft to handle, cover and refrigerate until firm.) Roll out dough to ¼” thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut out with cookie cutters. Place 2” apart on cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until firm. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Dip ends into melted chocolate and decorate with sprinkles.