Cookies for a Cause - Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

I wasn't quite sure what made these old fashioned and I only chose them because I had all the ingredients for a double batch on hand, they looked nice and large (which is good for trying to get donations) and it seemed simple enough to start at 9:15pm last night. I just made cookies last week so I spoiled my coworkers with two weeks in a row!

This is an excellent sugar cookie recipe - the lemon zest and juice really give it that "old fashioned" flavor, and they are slightly chewy with a crisp top and just a generally big happy cookie to devour! The Husband has been waiting for a cookie that he might like and he just loved these - he said "You should charge extra for these! Mmm!" He isn't a fan of nuts or butterscotch so the past two charity cookie sales I've done - Pecan Bars and Rocky Ledge Bars - have not been his thing. These sugar cookies were perfect!

The only thing that takes a long time is that they are large cookies so unless you have several cookie sheets and oven space, you might have to wait for 3 or 4 batches to go through. Still, it's pretty simple to put this recipe together and you won't regret the results. It's a classic sugar cookie that everyone will enjoy.

I took these into work and put up my signs stating that I will donate 100% of any donations made to the Disabled American Veterans organization. After the first two Cookies For A Cause days, we had raised $44.74. Now after these Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies, we are up to $21.41. This means that we have raised a grand total of $66.15 for charity so far! Our first $50 collected of my Cookies For A Cause event is going to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen of Detroit, and from there on, the results of my bake sales will be going to the Disabled American Veterans for a while. It is hard to choose between charities so I will be switching back and forth throughout the year. Just as a reminder, I do not retain any money donated for myself to offset baking costs - my donations are the ingredients and time and effort and I'm happy to do it as long as people keep donating. I love trying new recipes so this is a win-win situation!

All of these cookie recipes have come from the excellent book - Martha Stewart Cookies. These are awesome cookie recipes, and we have not been disappointed once! I can't wait to pick out the next recipe for my next Cookies for a Cause event and raising some more money! Thanks for stopping in.

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

(from MarthaStewart.com)

Makes about 20 (3 1/2-inch) cookies (or 16 4+ in cookies)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks), softened
2 large eggs
Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl; set aside.

Put sugars and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed 30 seconds. Add butter; mix until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time, and then the lemon juice. Reduce speed; gradually add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.

Scoop dough using a 2-inch ice cream scoop; space cookies 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten cookies slightly with a spatula. Sprinkle tops with sanding sugar, then lightly brush with a wet pastry brush; sprinkle with more sanding sugar.

Bake cookies until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes.

Transfer cookies to racks using a spatula; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.