Mother's Sugar Cookies

All made up for Halloween!!

These cookies are a staple for my families Christmas goodies. I remember helping my grandmother make batches and batches of these to hand out to friends and family during the holiday season. Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without them!

Now, we usually make them at Halloween time as well. Halloween sugar cookies get butter-cream frosting added to them though. :) (The ones pictured above were made to hand out, so we omitted the frosting on these ones.)

The recipe is really my Great Grandmother's, but Grandma always called them Mother's so that's the name that stuck. :) They are the softest, yummiest sugar cookies I've ever had. The addition of nutmeg (and the sugar to flour ratio!) is my favorite part about these cookies. 

Mother's Sugar Cookies:

5 c flour

2 c sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg (I always use ~ 1/2 tsp)

1 c butter, cold and cut up

3 eggs

1/2 c buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

Sift the flour into a big bowl (or mixing bowl) with 1 cup of sugar, the soda, powder, salt and nutmeg. Add butter. (My grandma always used her hands for this part, so I do too. :) ) Beat eggs slightly and add remaining sugar gradually (don't forget this part!! It's not any fun trying to knead in sugar at the end...trust me!), beating thoroughly. Blend in buttermilk and vanilla and add to the crumb base. Roll 1/4" thick in flour for more chewy cookies, 1/8" thick for crisper cookies. Cook for 8-10 minutes on greased cookie sheets in a 350 degree oven.

* There is no refrigeration needed.

** These cookies are chewy whether you roll them 1/4" or 1/8"- it just depends on how chewy you want them. :)

*** I haven't tried to use my 'good' flours or sugars with this recipe yet...I just don't think I can bring myself to change the taste.