Sugar Cookies

This is just a basic sugar cookie recipe that I got from a Company’s Coming cookbook called Most Loved Cookies. I used this to make my Valentine’s Day heart-shaped cookies, and my family also uses this recipe every year to make sugar cookies at Christmas that we all decorate together!

• Hard margarine (or butter), softened — 3/4 cup (175mL)
• Granulated Sugar ———————– 3/4 cup (175 mL)
• Large egg ——————————– 1
• Vanilla ———————————– 1 tsp. (5mL)
• All-purpose flour ———————— 2 cups (500 mL)
• Baking soda —————————– 1 tsp. (5 mL)
• Cream of tartar ————————– 1 tsp. (5 mL)
• Salt ————————————— 1/4 tsp. (1 mL)
• Ground cardamom (optional) ———– 1/4 tsp. (1 mL)

Cream margarine and sugar in large bowl. Add egg. Beat well. Add vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Combine remaining 5 ingredients in small bowl. Add to margarine mixture in 2 additions, mixing well after each addition until no dry flour remains. Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Shape each portion into flattened disc. Wrap each with waxed paper. Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight. Discard waxed paper from 1 disc. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch (3 mm) thickness. Cut out circles with lightly floured 2 inch (5 cm) cookie cutter (or whatever cookie cutter you desire!). Roll out scraps to cut more circles. Arrange about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake in 350F (175C) oven for about 10 minutes until edges are just golden. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool. Cool cookie sheets between batches. Repeat with remaining disc.