Okay! Here is my specialty!
I am not just a cookie fanatic. I am a cookie connoisseur. Three years ago, I declared war and decided to make the perfect cookie! Well, after 14 batches and two days I give you this!
Sugar Cookie from Angela’s “I’m Sick Of Burning My Cookies” Series
Yes… that is a real series I made… I also call it “High Altitude Baking” This is my recipe. 100% mine 🙂 So proud! These cookies are soft, light, and puffy. They are excellent with morning coffee and very addictive! If done right, the butter will not burn, the baking powder will rise. The oven must be preheated and HOT giving the baking powder enough time to activate and rise. This will only work if the moisture to flour ratio is correct.
Do not use plastic or wood utensils! Glass or metal only! Egg protein clings to plastic and wood, altering the flavor and chemistry of baking. Never bake with plastic or wood! This recipe is adjusted for 2,087 feet above sea level. Decrease 1/4 cup flour for every 500 feet dropped in elevation. Add 1/4 cup flour for every 500 feet increase.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat is important here! 350, 375… I tried it all. For high altitude cooking, the oven must be hot… 400 or hotter. There wasn’t enough heat to activate the baking powder. Okay! The recipe.
Sugar Cookie
Set oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cream together:
- 2 sticks butter warmed to room temperature. (Not shortening. Not margarine. Butter. You’ll need the fat, not the oil content. )
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp milk
Beat on high until creamy, white, and fluffy. Don’t rush this. The longer you cream the butter/egg mixture, the lighter your cookie will be.
In a separate bowl, whisk together:
- 2 cups unbleached flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp fresh baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir. This dough will be thick. Almost bread dough thick. Spoon out 2 tbsp onto foil lined aluminum cookie sheet. Cook 10 minutes then watch for cracked tops.
Troubleshooting:
If the cookies burn and harden after cooling… They cooked too long, or there was too much flour. If they did not cook longer than 10 minutes, try reducing flour by 1/4 cup.
If the cookies fell/flattened or didn’t cook thoroughly… They were too moist (increase the flour), the baking powder was too old (baking powder has a 6 month shelf life), the oven was not hot enough. Hot and short cooking time is the key to a puffy cookie with the correct wet to dry ingredient ratio. 400 degrees at 10 minutes. Increased to 425 cook temp if needed. A cookie should be done in 8 to 10 minutes. 12 minutes is pushing it and risks burning the bottoms.
Cracked Cookie Method:
When a cookie is done baking, the tops will crack in the oven. As they cool, the cracks will “disappear.” I call this the “Cracked Cookie” method. This combination only works for high elevation baking due to the lack of air pressure up here.
