Rolled Sugar Cookies

I adore these cookies, but I don't make them often because they are a bit of a project and highly addictive.  Today was a cool and windy autumn day, a perfect one for staying inside and baking!  This recipe is special to me because it's one my late dad created.  He wanted the perfect rolled sugar cookie recipe, so he took a bunch of recipes and averaged them, then tweaked the amounts until he got this.  It really is wonderful and reminds of my childhood every time I make it :)  I often make 1 1/2 or 2 times the recipe so that I can share (and so that we can all pig out on them lol).  The pictures are of what it looks like for 1 1/2 times.  The frosting is my approximation of what my mom always made, which I use not only for these cookies, but cakes and other treats as well!

Ingredients:

1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. lemon extract
2 eggs
2 tsp. milk
2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

additional flour for rolling

--frosting--

4 1/2 c. powdered sugar
3 T. butter flavored Crisco (or regular Crisco)
dash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
7 T. milk

sanding/decorating sugars and/or décors

Instructions:

1. Cream butter, sugar, vanilla, and lemon extract together.

2. Add eggs and mix until combined.

3. Add milk and mix until combined.

4. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl.  Add mixture gradually (around a cup each time)--I advise switching to a dough hook either at the beginning of this or by the last addition.

5. Chill dough for at least 2 hours (have left it as long as overnight and was the same).

6. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Scoop out ball of dough around the size of 2 baseballs (this does not have to be exact--you just want to not have too much to roll out at once).  Return remaining dough to fridge until ready for more.

7. Generously flour a clean work surface as well as a rolling pin.  Roll dough in the flour to coat, then pat into a disc shape.

8. Place in center of flour and roll, checking occasionally with spatula/turner to make sure dough is not sticking to surface.  If it is, scrape dough up and start over.  (This is very dependent on temperature and humidity, I think.  It was a humid day here this time and the dough stuck the first two times I rolled it!).  Roll to 1/8" thickness.

9. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes and place them on nonstick cookie sheet.

10. Bake for 7-9 minutes (most of my batches were 7 or 8), until cookie edges are just starting to turn golden brown.

11. Let cookies cool on sheet for 3 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

12. Make frosting:  place all ingredients in mixing bowl and mix until smooth consistency is achieved.  If too thick, add milk 1 T. at a time until frosting is smooth but still holds shape.

13. Frost cookies and top with sanding sugar immediately afterward.

14. Grab some milk and enjoy!

Note: cookies will soften after being frosted and set (covered), so don't worry if they turn out a little crisp :)