My Mommy-Radar Was Off...

I just should have known it was coming. You always hear these stories of kids coming home from school and waiting until bedtime to tell Mom that they need 2 dozen of something to bring to school. I just never expected that mom was going to be me someday. Although in all fairness, Abigail did tell me before bedtime, but what she wanted me to make was sugar cookies. Rolled out and cut into little ghosty shapes, then frosted and decorated. Sugar cookies require chilling time, and overall are not the quickest cookie on the block. A few days ago I had thought about asking Abigail if she needed a treat for Halloween at school, and for some reason I didn't. I rationalized that really, this whole deal was my fault, and if my daughter wanted iced and decorated ghosty sugar cookies, I was going to be the good mom and make them for her.

So I flipped open my trusty Joy of Cooking and set about making the Rich Rolled Sugar Cookies that my mom had tweaked several years ago for maximum sugar-cookie goodness. After they baked up, I made a very simple vanilla icing and iced my little ghosties with white icing, giving them some creepy blue eyeballs and orange sanding sugar. Overall, I think they turned out pretty cute. Of course they're tasty, and I think they'll be a hit in the classroom.

Rich Rolled Sugar Cookies
adapted from Joy of Cooking

2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Beat the butter on sugar on medium speed until fluffy and well blended. Add the egg, baking soda, salt, and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add the flour. Stir until blended and smooth.

Divide the dough in half, roll into a ball, and flatten somewhat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

After chilling, roll out the cookie dough to about a 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured counter or cutting board. Cut out cookies and carefully transfer to an ungreased cookie sheet. Re-roll the cookie dough as many times as necessary to use up the dough, chilling when not using.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or to desired doneness (as brown around the edges as you'd like them). Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, let sit for about 30 seconds before removing the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.

If desired, you can sprinkle the cookies with colored sugars or sprinkles before baking. Otherwise ice and decorate after completely cooling. Makes about 4-dozen cookies.