Secret Ingredient Sugar Cookies
Soft sugar cookies made with instant vanilla pudding mix.
Servings 80 small cookies
Cost 5
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter (230 grams)
- 1 cup vegetable oil (safflower works really well!)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (114 grams)
- 1 package instant vanilla or lemon pudding mix (3.4 oz size)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon salt, but reduce to ¼ teaspoon if using salted butter**
- Sprinkles optional
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (weigh or aerate your flour and measure with a light hand) (500 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, preferably a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, oil and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Add the dry pudding mix, eggs and vanilla and beat until fully blended, scraping the side of the bowl.
- Add the baking soda, cream of tartar and salt and stir well, then beat for about 30 seconds to make sure the leavening agents are evenly distributed. Add the flour one cup at a time, stirring by hand or using low speed of the mixer. Batter should be fairly soft and easy to scoop.
- Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches. apart or use a tablespoons size (small) cookie scoop. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar or skip the sugar and the glass and just press down and add sprinkles.
- Bake at 350° for 10 minutes (for small cookies or 12-15 minutes for larger cookies or until lightly browned. Remove from tray and let cool on wire rack.
Notes
** If using unsalted butter, add a 1 teaspoon of salt to the creamed mixture
For a half batch, use 1 stick butter, ½ cup each – oil, sugar, powdered sugar, 1 egg, ½ tsp. vanilla, ½ box of pudding mix, 2 cups flour, ½ each cream of tartar and baking soda and salt.
For a half batch, use 1 stick butter, ½ cup each – oil, sugar, powdered sugar, 1 egg, ½ tsp. vanilla, ½ box of pudding mix, 2 cups flour, ½ each cream of tartar and baking soda and salt.