Monday, October 1, 2012

Crackly Sugar Cookies




From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you like old-fashioned sugar cookies, but hate to roll them out, you might want to try this recipe. It produces large, beautiful cookies with crackled tops that are a match for those found in the finest bakeries. There are several schools of thought regarding the chemistry that causes the tops of these cookies to crater. Some insist that it is caused by the carbon dioxide that is released when baking soda is mixed with cream of tartar. Others believe the surface of the cookies burst because the low-moisture dough with which they are made allows their exteriors to harden and dry before the interiors of the cookies have finished expanding. Yet another group believes that the sugar in which the cookies are rolled absorbs moisture that dries out their exteriors, causing cracks when the leavening agents in the dough continue to expand as the cookies bake. I have volunteered to be a taste tester for any further experimentation that might be done. Until then, I'll happily continue to make these cookies without giving much thought to why the tops crack and crater. I hope you'll follow my lead. This is a terrific cookie that I know you will enjoy. Here's the recipe.

Crackly Sugar Cookies
...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of CHOW.com

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 large egg yolks, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.
2) Cream sugar and butter together until light.  Beat in yolks and vanilla.
3) Sift together the measured sifted flour, baking soda and cream of tartar then fold into the butter sugar mixture.
4) Form dough into walnut size balls. Place 2" apart on the cookie sheets. Do not flatten.
5) Bake for about 11 minutes until tops are cracked and just turning color. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to complete cooling. Yield: 3 dozen cookies.






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31 comments :

Khalil Alsalman said...

Wonderful Cookies. Looks delicious

Katarina said...

Yummy, these cookies look so delicious!

Priya Suresh said...

Feel like munching some, addictive cookies.

Debbie said...

I'm saving this recipe and will give them a try. They look delicious and I love sugar cookies!

SImple and Serene Living said...

I think people forget how delicious old fashioned sugar cookies are. Thanks for shearing this recipe, Mary.

Hugs,
Laura

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I am sure I would enjoy this cookie Mary.

Unknown said...

I found a sugar cookie recently that did not call for rolling out too. It's my favorite sugar cookie recipe now. I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm too lazy to roll anything out!! Will be trying these next time I crave sugar cookie!

Natalie said...

love the simplicity of these! you just can't beat a good sugar cookie!

MomWhatsForDinner said...

So much better than having to roll out cookies! Yum!

Marina@Picnic at Marina said...

Very welcoming cookies...

Duncan D. Horne - the Kuantan blogger said...

Sometimes we don't need to know the hows and whys! The cookies look great!

David said...

Mary, My wife and I love a good sugar cookie with tea! Thanks for the recipe and Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

I only like to roll out cookies at Christmas time. So thanks, Mary, for this great recipe.

Fondly,
Glenda

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

Beautiful cookies! sugar cookies are my family's favorite.

Tricia @ saving room for dessert said...

Oh thanks for this recipe Mary. They look wonderful and I'm not sure I care how the cracks came about - but it is so interesting! That's what I love about your posts - always wonderful to read. Thanks!

Alicia Foodycat said...

These look really good! Perfect crackle!

teresa said...

mmmmm, i do love a good crackle! these look just wonderful!

Catherine said...

Dear Mary, What a beautiful picture!!
I agree those cookies hold up next to the most expensive bakery cookies!! I bet they taste better too!
Blessings my dear friend. Catherine xox

Unknown said...

love your blog, im a newbie in the whole blogging business so if you would have a look at mine at http://studentcomfortfood.blogspot.co.uk/ i'd be more than grateful

Cranberry Morning said...

I love those crackle cookies (which is what my mom called them). I wonder about the crackle too. My molasses cookies crackle like that but don't have cream of tartar in them. Hmmmm. Look delicious!

Kim said...

What a great snack with a cup of tea! Love these, MAry!

France@beyondthepeel said...

I just love a good sugar cookie, and like you I don't care why they do what they do as long as they taste delicious :)

Leslie said...

Ohhh, I love that you dont have to roll these out and they still look perfectly round.

Joanne said...

I pretty much NEVER make sugar cookies because I hate rolling them out! Loving these.

Unknown said...

These are my favorite type of cookie! The deeper the cracks and crannies, the better they are to me. Thanks for this wonderful recipe!

Blond Duck said...

This is totally up my ally. I hate rolling out sugar cookies.

Choc Chip Uru @ Go Bake Yourself said...

These sugar cookies are perfection :D

Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
P.S. Come over and enter my international giveaway to celebrate my blogiversary!

Claudia said...

My father was a chemist and could explain to me the crackling phenomenon. As for me, I'm just grateful they do - love the looks, sounds and your opinion of them!

Reshmi Mahesh said...

Beautiful cookies...Looks perfect for munching...

Christine Altmiller said...

my daughters made these two nights ago...delicious! thanks for the recipe :-)

Christine Altmiller said...

these were fantastic! my kids made them for the family and they were delicious!

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