Ethel's Sugar Cookies

Ethel's Sugar Cookies is an old and well loved traditional sugar cookie recipe originally from Betty Crocker's Cooky Cookbook. I first got the recipe not from Betty Crocker, but from an Austin blogger friend named Lisa who I remember as always bringing the best looking creations to Austin food blogger events. As usual, her sugar cookies were perfect, and that's when she told me they were Ethel's.

Lisa's cookies were impressive in that they were very crisp and held their Texas shape well. Lisa used all butter, while the original recipe calls for shortening. I've since made them with shortening and like the butter version best. Using salted butter does not, in my opinion, make them too salty.

Who Was Ethel of Ethel's Sugar Cookies?

So who was Ethel? Ethel was a fictional homemaker created by Betty Crocker to represent the "traditional" baker partial to classics like these sugar cookies. In the Betty Crocker Cooky Book, Ethel's Sugar Cookies sit next to Mary's Sugar Cookies recipe. Mary's recipe is a little different and calls for confectioner's sugar in the dough which makes the cookies softer and less sweet. Growing up, Mary's was my favorite. My cut-outs were always a little puffy and didn't have sharp edges, but people loved the cookies so much I was hesitant to change recipes.

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Recipe

Ethel's Sugar Cookies

Anna

An old cut-out sugar cookie recipe from Betty Crocker. The number of cookies depends on the size of your cutters. The original recipe says it makes about 4 dozen.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 48 Small

Ingredients

 

• 2 ½ cups all purpose flour (320 grams)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup shortening or butter (I use salted)
• 1 cup sugar (200 grams)
• 2 large eggs, bring to room temperature
• ½ teaspoon lemon flavor (or change the flavors and use vanilla)

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Have ready two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
• With a whisk, sift the flour until it is fully aerated, then sift it or put it through a sieve. Whisk or sift it with the baking powder, then whisk in the salt.
• With an electric mixer, beat together the shortening and sugar until creamy, then beat in the eggs and flavoring (lemon or vanilla).
• Add the flour mixture and stir to make a soft dough. Press it into one or two large rounds, then wrap and chill until ready to use or roll right away.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a ⅛ inch thick slab and cut out shapes. Bake for 8 minutes or until your cookies are golden brown around the edges and appear set. Remove from baking sheet and let cool completely.

Keyword sugar cookies

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