Sugar Cookie Recipe and Tips

It’s National Sugar Cookie Day so here is the lowdown: First, use this recipe for complete cookie yumminess (slightly adapted from @foodnetwork ) * 3 cups all-purpose flour * 3/4 teaspoon baking powder * 1/4 teaspoon salt * 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened * 1/2 cup Crisco * 1 cup sugar * 1 egg, beaten * 1 tablespoon milk * Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough After allowing the dough to chill for about 30 minutes, roll it out in sections between two sheets of parchment paper. This allows you to NOT have to use flour for rolling out the dough (which can make your dough stiff and your cookies BLAH!) After rolling the dough out between two sheets of parchment, place on clean cookie sheets and into the fridge. Let it sit at least an hour or up to a day. When ready to cut out cookies, peel one side of the parchment away from the dough. Lay that side of the dough on your baking surface, then peel away the top layer of parchment paper. Lightly dip cookie cutters into powdered sugar (not flour) and cut away. Cookies will not stick to your counter because you are cutting them on the baking surface. The key is to place all cookie cutters on the dough before you actually cut. This ensures that you use almost all of the dough in one cutting experience. Place scraps in pile and continue on with next sheet of dough. (Scraps can either be frozen for another baking experience or rolled back out, rechilled, and cut) Bake cookies in a 375 degree oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Allow to cool completely and frost. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.)