Easiest, No Chill, Most Delicious Sugar Cookies

Are you looking for a last minute sugar cookie recipe that doesn't take forever and is guaranteed to be delicious and easy? Well here it is. I wasn't even going to make these, as my sister had volunteered to keep the luscious temptation away from me...but, she's sick today. Our conversation went something like this...

"I'm sick, so I'm not going to make the easiest, no chill, most delicious sugar cookies ever that have been our family tradition since...forever. Instead I am going to make store-bought sugar cookies. But don't worry, this will be better for your diet, because you won't even want to eat one."...Long pause..."NOOoooooooOOOOOOoooOOOO!!!!"

Suffice it to say I then volunteered to make the sugar cookies. I cannot have Valentines Day ruined by store-bought cookies when these are so easy and soo good. Luckily I happen to have all the necessary ingredients on hand, pretty much all the time. They're pantry basics for me. The best part about this recipe though is you don't have to chill the dough!  That's right, I said you don't have to chill the dough.  This is good because whenever the mood strikes, you can bake up a batch of these in no time. 

 I half'd this recipe because, I am on a diet, but it still made plenty. Oh, and get this, they are so easy that even though my KitchenAid is busted and I had to make them by hand...it took no time. So I have now decided that it is never worth it to get my KitchenAid dirty again. Here is the making it by hand recipe, but if you want to break out the mixer, go for it.  Just combine the dry ingredients.  Then mix in the shortening.  Then add the milk eggs and vanilla and mixed until just combined.

VALENTINE'S NO CHILL SUGAR COOKIES
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper

5 C. Flour (have more on hand for flouring your surface and I always need more to get my dough stiff enough)
2 C. Sugar
3 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt

Combine the above ingredients in a large bowl.

1 C. Shortening

Cut this into the above flour mix by hand. I just mushed the shortening around in the dry ingredients until there were no large chunks. Make a well in the middle of your dough mixture

3 Eggs, beaten
1 C. Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla

Combine the above ingredients together and then pour into the well in the dry ingredients

Gradually blend in flour mixture to the wet ingredients until all flour is incorporated. The dough is likely to be very sticky now, so this is the point where you have to make a judgement call and add additional flour until it is no longer sticky and won't stick to your floured surface when it is rolled out and cut.

Flour your kitchen counter liberally. Roll your dough to 1/8" - 1/4" Thick. I err on the thin side, as they do puff up. Test if it is sticking at this point. If so, grab it all back up and add more flour to the dough, re-flour your countertop and roll out again. If your dough sticks at all to your counter top, the shapes you've cut will not come off cleanly and will not be as beautiful...oh they'll be tasty, but we're after looks too with these cookies.

Use heart-shaped cookie cutters in all sizes. It was a tradition in my family growing up that everyone got a large cookie with their name on it. That was special and something I do for my family now. Plus dozens of little cookies just for munching. But the big cookie was a big deal, and it was savored.

Place on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Don't place too close, but don't worry either, these cookies don't really spread much. So you can get away with an inch between.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. I find that the first couple batches take 10 minutes and then the subsequent batches take around 9 minutes. They should not be brown at all, but remain lily white, but not be gooey in the center at the same time.

Allow to cool on papertowels completely.

Decorate with Frosting. YUM!

p.s.  Once you have cut out your shapes, grab up all the scraps that are left, mush them back together and roll it out again so you can cut out even more cookies.  This dough does not get tough. I cannot tell you how many times I have rolled and rolled again.  Use it all up!

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
3 C. Powder Sugar
3/4 C. Butter, softened

Combine the above ingredients in the mixer until well mixed

1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
1-2 Tbl. Milk

Add to sugar mixture and beat until smooth and spreadable. Add red food coloring and mix well. Pipe or spread this on your cooled sugar cookies.

Daddy is a big deal at our house.

Diet or not, Mama's gotta have a V-Day cookie!

This is what you get when Auntie makes the frosting, she includes toppings like candy and sprinkles and chocolate and marshmallows and all kinds of goodies.  I'm a traditionalist.  It's cookies and pink frosting.  Period.