Jamie's Soft Sugar Cookies

Ingredients
7 c flour
1 t salt
2 t baking soda
1 c butter (can use baking quality margarine)
1 T vanilla
1 c sour cream (can use light)
2 eggs
2 c sugar

Directions
Cream sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and sour cream (will be quite runny). In a separate bowl mix flour, soda & salt. Add to the creamed mixture. Dough should be somewhat firm, but not too much since you will add flour as you roll them out.

Bake @ 400 for 5-10 mins until bottoms are *very* slightly browned. I usually double up my baking sheets to prevent the bottoms from browning too much, so they are like bakery cookies. Parchment paper is nice, but don't use those dark non-stick pans, they will brown them way too much.

Buttercream Frosting
1/2 c butter
1 T vanilla
powdered sugar (about 1 lb or so)
milk or whipping cream




Recipe from Jamie Mansfield

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 c flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
3/4 c butter, softened
1 c brown sugar
1/4 c white sugar
1 T vanilla
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 c choc chips
1/2-3/4 c chopped nuts (optional)

Directions
Mix flour soda and salt. In another bowl cream butter and sugars. blend in vanilla, egg and egg yolk until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients until just blended. Stir in chips (and nuts) by hand. Bake @ 325 for 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. They WILL look slightly doughy in the center. This is what makes them chewy. Cool on cookie sheets 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks.



Recipe from Jamie Mansfield

Soft Ginger Cookies

These cookies flatten and crack as they cool. The secret in keeping them soft is to remove them from the oven as soon as they are set but before they start to brown.

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses

4 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger
l/2 tsp. cloves
l/2 tsp. salt


Cream together the sugar and shortening. Add eggs and beat until thick. Add the molasses and stir until combined.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Add to creamed mixture and stir just until blended. If the dough is very soft (hot day? warm kitchen?), wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes (or freezer for about 10-15min;).

Shape into 1” balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350º for 7 - 10 minutes or just until set but before they start to brown. It is about 9 minutes in my oven. I look at the bottom of the cookies to see if they are browning.