July 9th, National Sugar Cookie Day

Simple and sweet, sugar cookies sometimes get a bad reputation as the dull cousin in the cookie family, but anyone who's ever tried a knock-out snickerdoodle knows that a good sugar cookie can have more complexity and kick than the soft, buttery standard alone.

Easily adaptable to a full selection of fresh flavors, our favorite sugar cookies include incarnations like jelly thumbprint cookies, chai-scented sugar cookies, and simple, classy changes that include nuts or candy embedded in dough still warm from the oven.
 

Celebrate National Sugar Cookie Day with us!

Rediscover your old sugar-cookie favorite in a lively new form when you try:

Kicked-Up Sugar Cookies

Cinnamon extract and a hint of ginger take the traditional sugar cookie to a new level with a strong, complex flavor that complements its denser, chewier-than-ever texture perfectly.

  Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raw cashews or hazelnuts, chopped very finely
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup golden brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Cook's Choice Pure Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 teaspoon Cook's Choice Pure Cinnamon Extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  Cooking Directions

1. Chop hazelnuts by using a food processor set to a manual mode; pulse until nuts are very fine, but not overly buttery. Add in sugar and butter slowly until mixture is creamy, then add extracts. Remove from food processor and blend in eggs by hand to ensure good consistency.
2. In a separate dish, combine all dry ingredients except the last sugar and cinnamon. Blend together dry and wet ingredients, then shape dough into heaped-tablespoon-size balls.
3. Combine the 3 tablespoons of sugar and 3 teaspoons of cinnamon in any large, deep dish. Drop each dough ball into the mix and roll around rapidly until coated as thoroughly as possible. Dough can be refrigerated or frozen at this point for up to 2 days. There should be a remainder of cinnamon sugar; if not, mix another 1 tablespoon of sugar with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and set aside.
4. Place dough balls 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until just barely set. golden-brown edges indicate burning; cookies should still be very soft (but not wet).
5. Remove immediately from baking sheets; sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar. Cool before serving.

  Enjoy!