Hello my name is Sherri and I am crazy about cookies! I tape every episode of Unique Sweets on the Cooking Channel in hopes it will be a special episode on cookies and I will find some new kind of cookie to try. I have cookbooks about great cookies, drop cookies, rolled cookies, history of the chocolate chip cookie, the art of the cookie, fancy cookies, you name it. Every Valentine’s Day, I ship heart shape cookies all over the country to family and friends. I inherited over 100 cookie-cutters from my mother but that’s a story for another day and recipe (picture included)! I am always up for the cookie challenges my niece Brette gives me. Once she called and said what do you think about a chocolate chip cookie but instead of chips you put brownie chunks in it? My answer arrived to her in the mail 2 days later!

Now that my secret is out, back to the sugar cookies… I was watching a cooking show 10 years ago on the Food Network. I only know this because that’s the date stamped on the printout of the recipe –  September 4, 2004! It was for some kind of cookie bake-off as far as I can tell and the recipe came in 2nd place. What I wrote on the recipe all those years ago was… I should make these a 1st place cookie, really easy sugar cookie recipe, make sure to cream butter and sugar until fluffy, and show says only 2 to 3 tablespoons of buttermilk, but recipe says 3 to 4… hmm. Well I made them not too long ago exactly as written. They were good and devoured in minutes, but I felt something was missing. I have made quite a few changes to them and in my opinion they are now a 1st place cookie! Enjoy!

Here is my version with much less sugar among other things. Let me know how yours turn out, Enjoy!

Yield 4 dozen 2″ to 3″ cookies

2  3/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine pink sea salt (or fine kosher salt)
1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 extra large egg (large would be fine here also)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 to 3 tablespoons low fat buttermilk

Sprinkles, or colored sanding sugar for decorating

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a larger bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix just until combined. Scrape down the sides and then add the dry ingredients in two batches. Add the buttermilk one tablespoon at a time just enough to moisten the dough to make it soft, not wet.

I use a small 1 1/2″ cookie scoop for these but you could use a teaspoon to scoop a portion of the dough. Roll by the teaspoon into a ball and place on cookie sheet leaving 2″ between cookies (they spread quite a bit). Flatten with your hand slightly and then sprinkle with regular white or colored sugar on top.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until just getting golden. Let stand on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack.