Jen was one of the very first bloggers I ever met. She's kind and sweet and supremely talented...and I'm just over-the-moon happy for her. She's going to be a *wonderful* mom.
Based on a recipe that Shelly shared over at University of Cookie, these cookies are light, soft and pillowy...and topped with a fluffy, sweet frosting.
Nothing fussy or fancy, but oh.so.good.
Soft Sugar Cookies
{makes 24}
for the cookies:
3 & 1/3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup salted butter, cut into chunks
1 & 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
for the frosting:
1/2 cup shortening
1 lb. (4 cups) powdered sugar
pinch sea salt
6 TBSP milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
non-pareils
Preheat oven to 350. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
On low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the cookies onto the prepared cookie sheet, 2" apart. Tuck and stray dough in to prevent crispy, brown edges. (Alternately, measure out the dough in 2 TBSP chunks and roll in a ball.)
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies look done, but still soft. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting:
Beat the shortening, powdered sugar, and salt slowly until the sugar is incorporated, then raise the speed and beat until well combined. Slowly add in the milk and vanilla; beat until fluffy.
Happy baby, Jen!!! Enjoy those hazy, sleep-deprived days...they go waaaaay to quickly. ♥
You must go get some snacks from the other hostesses of the shower. Here they are:
Bluebonnets & Brownies | Raspberry Lemon Fruit Dip
Sugarcrafter | Sweet Potato Cake with Honey Buttercream
My Baking Addiction | Mini Pumpkin Pies
Simple Bites | English Eccles Cakes
Stetted | Roasted Red Pepper and Caramelized Onion Dip
Food for my Family | Homemade Pear Italian Sodas with Cardamom Cream
eat. live. travel. write. | Goat Cheese and Tomato Tartlettes
Gimme Some Oven | Creamy Caramel Apple Dippers
Dessert For Two | Caramel Apple Cookie Cups
Bake at 350 | Soft Sugar Cookies for a Baby Shower
A Thought For Food | Fingerling Potato Salad
TidyMom | Apple Pomegranate Spritzers
i am baker | Advice to a New Mommy
Healthy Green Kitchen | Guacamole with Pistachios
Tracey’s Culinary Adventures | Caramelized Onion, Gruyere and Bacon Spread
What Megan’s Making | Apple Spice Muffins
Cookin’ Canuck | Gorgonzola Cheese Cups with Pear & Hazelnut Salad
Bellalimento | Frozen Berry Shortcake
Shugary Sweets | Caramel Apple Truffles
GoodLife Eats | Coconut Lemon Banana Bread
Sugarcrafter | Sweet Potato Cake with Honey Buttercream
My Baking Addiction | Mini Pumpkin Pies
Simple Bites | English Eccles Cakes
Stetted | Roasted Red Pepper and Caramelized Onion Dip
Food for my Family | Homemade Pear Italian Sodas with Cardamom Cream
eat. live. travel. write. | Goat Cheese and Tomato Tartlettes
Gimme Some Oven | Creamy Caramel Apple Dippers
Dessert For Two | Caramel Apple Cookie Cups
Bake at 350 | Soft Sugar Cookies for a Baby Shower
A Thought For Food | Fingerling Potato Salad
TidyMom | Apple Pomegranate Spritzers
i am baker | Advice to a New Mommy
Healthy Green Kitchen | Guacamole with Pistachios
Tracey’s Culinary Adventures | Caramelized Onion, Gruyere and Bacon Spread
What Megan’s Making | Apple Spice Muffins
Cookin’ Canuck | Gorgonzola Cheese Cups with Pear & Hazelnut Salad
Bellalimento | Frozen Berry Shortcake
Shugary Sweets | Caramel Apple Truffles
GoodLife Eats | Coconut Lemon Banana Bread
Perfect cookies for the baby shower!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have been looking for a cookie recipe like this for a while now and when I saw it pop up on the Facebook page, I almost squealed out loud!! :) Thank you for sharing! And Congrats to Jen! :)
ReplyDeleteThese look SO perfect for a baby shower!
ReplyDeleteThese look wonderful! What a sweet idea for a blogging friend :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats to your sister and what a beautiful cookies!
ReplyDeletexoxo
These look amazing and are perfect for a shower.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! I want a whole plate of these cookies all to myself! :)
ReplyDeleteThese look so chewy and delicious and perfect for the girl baby shower.
ReplyDeleteI will admit to having a 'soft' spot for soft sugar cookies and yours look like the very best I've seen!
ReplyDeleteOkay, now I'm off for my real shower...before I make the rounds for this baby virtual shower. ;)
Congrats to Jen, these cookies are the BEST!
ReplyDeleteMmmm. I know exactly the grocery store sugar cookies you are talking about. I used to beg for those too...maybe I still do ;) These are adorable.
ReplyDeletePerfect cookie and icing colours for Jen's shower! She's going to love this surprise virtual party and everyone's wonderful contributions.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Congratulations to your sister too!
Thank you so much, Bridget!! You are the sweetest, and I am so lucky to have so many amazing friends out there. I was completely floored by all of the baby shower posts this morning, and I'm still a bit speechless!
ReplyDeleteThese cookies are absolutely perfect... And, it's kind of funny... A friend of my mother's used to make these soft sugar cookies w/ the tastiest frosting when we were younger, and my brother and I would devour them. But, I've never found a recipe that came close. I have a feeling this one is it, and I can't wait to try it!!
These look amazing!!!! I'm having people over on Sunday (not for a baby shower, though!) and I will definitely be making these :D
ReplyDeleteThese look amazing... as everything you do does! I LOVE the addition of Crisco. I cant help myself! ;)
ReplyDeleteOh how I love pillowy cookies! These are so pretty and would make a great addition to ANY baby shower!
ReplyDeleteThese are beautiful! And Crisco definitely can't be beat for soft cookies. :-)
ReplyDeleteYep, crisco definitely has its time and place in cookies, That beautiful pastel fluffy frosting doesn't hurt, either. Great cookie!
ReplyDeleteLove the blog, truly do! It's "fourth" you mean, for sister's baby number four. It's "forth" when you mean to move onward, forward, and so on. XO
ReplyDeleteYes....you are so right! I count on you guys to catch all of my typos. Thank you! :) (I'm sure there are more!)
DeleteI think I could decorate those!!! They look yummy!
ReplyDeletep.s. tell anonymous she has too much time on her hands!!!
ReplyDeleteanonymous doesn't have enough time on her hands, has she missed another glaring typo - it's "waaaaay TOO quickly," not "to."
Deleteso there.
Why? An entry free of typos appears more professional. Noticing spelling/grammatical errors =/= too much time on one's hands.
DeleteThere is always room in my life for a little Crisco ;)
ReplyDeleteThere is always room in my life for a little Crisco ;)
ReplyDeleteThe perfect cookie for a little girls baby shower. So cute!
ReplyDeleteYou can't leave out the Crisco ; ) Love these. Soft, sweet and I'll take the whole tray please!
ReplyDeleteCongrats Jen! And what a lovely baby shower dessert!!
ReplyDeleteYUMMM! THese cookies look delicious! And Jen, Welcome to the new baby! :D
ReplyDeleteSo pretty.
ReplyDeletePS I ordered your cookbook! Can't wait to gain some mad cookie skillz
Thanks so much! :)
DeleteHow adorable! I love the little sprinkles. Perfect for a baby shower, virtual or not. :)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love soft sugar cookies. These look so light and perfect. Love them!
ReplyDeletei used to beg my mom to buy me a package of supermarket cookies with colorful sprinkles and thick frosting - though, they never tasted as good as they looked. but these look like they probably taste BETTER than they look. the sprinkles are what's pulling me in. can't resist sprinkles.
ReplyDeletelove these cookies- they look like the ones I buy at the grocery store :)
ReplyDeleteThere really is nothing better than a soft sugar cookie. Love this recipe. Thanks for sharing! Happy Friday!
ReplyDeleteWow! I found your blog today and I've been reading it like crazy since! I just wanted to leave a comment to say how lovely your blog is. :) It amazes me how much work and passion you put on your cookies. I'll definetely try some of your recipes soon. I'd love to make these as soon as possible, they seem so delicious! What a pity they have shortening on them. :/ Couldn't I use butter instead?
ReplyDeleteLots of love!
gorgeous sugar cookies..love the pastel colors.
ReplyDeleteLove the softie sugar cookies and the sweet pastel colors. Just screams Adorable Baby!! Congrats Jen!
ReplyDeletelooks DELICIOUS!
ReplyDeleteThese pillowy little bites look absolutely amazing! Thank you so much for bringing these along to Jen's virtual shower!!
ReplyDeletewhat if you don't have salted butter?
ReplyDeleteI know, go buy some, but i can't afford food nor is there room in the fridge for more things.....
these look awesome and i *love* lofthouse cookies so i'll make these someday....i know it!
Bridget, I'm so glad you were able to join us for the virtual shower! I love those soft cookies from the grocery store, but sadly they almost always contain HFCS, which always turns me off. Thanks to you, now I can make them at home. :)
ReplyDeletesoft and sweet what better than that
ReplyDeletesoft sugar cookies are our favorite. Especially our christmas cookies. Love your post.
ReplyDeleteI made your "soft sugar cookies" this morning for my granddaughters soccer game tonight. Oh my - they are wonderful. This will be a recipe that I make sure I hand down to others. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSoft. Frosted. Sugar Cookies. With crunchy sprinkles.
ReplyDeleteJust passed out!
xo
Could you do cut-outs with this cookie recipe, or would it not work?
ReplyDeleteHi,I was wondering if you can do cut outs with cookie cutters on this recipe?
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Oh my !! Ohhhhh My!!! I am so happy to have found this recipe. My stepson loves these kind of cookies and always wants us to send them to him in college. But there are only certain ones he likes. He doesn't like the "grocery store" version at all, I am so happy that I now have a recipe where now I can MAKE them anytime I want and surprise him. I am going to do this tonight!!
ReplyDeleteThese sugar cookies for baby shower are truly perfect. Need to throw baby shower party for my friend. Will implement your cookie ideas there. Have to make her day awesome. Will watch videos from Nom Photo App and quite sure that will find something useful.
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