Pink-Sanded Sugar Cookies

When life's got you down ... make cookies! Is there anyone cookies can't cheer up?

These happy cookies start with a mix of shortening, butter, and sugar. And the best thing about them? You can use any sugar you've got on hand. I used all white sugar today, but they're really great with half white and half brown sugars. You could also use maple sugar, dark brown sugar, raw sugar, honey ... and any of those will change the taste of your cookie in a subtle way.

The shortenings and sugar are creamed together. Then you add in baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.

Once those are mixed in, egg yolks and vanilla extract make their debut.

Finally, it's time for the flour. I add the first cup, and then add the rest a bit at a time.

You could put these on a cookie sheet right now and bake them off the way they were. Or you could make them super extra sparkly and pretty.

The Kid is really into princesses now--so she voted sparkly and pretty ;)

Remember when I touted the greatness of ice cream scoops for making uniform cookies? Yup. Here's another recipe where they come in handy.

I scoop a ball of dough and roll it out a bit in my hands.

Then I roll the dough around in a mixture of decorating sugar and regular sugar.

Who doesn't like pink cookies?

Now just let them bake in the oven!

Another plus about the ice cream scoop? They make biiiig cookies.















Mmm. Bring someone who's down in the dumps a plate of these cookies and they'll forget all their problems ... at least until the cookies are gone.

Recipe: Pink-Sanded Sugar Cookies

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. shortening, softened

2 c. sugar (any kind)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1/8 tsp. salt

3 egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 c. flour

1/4 c. granulated sugar

2 tbsp. sprinkles, any color

Preheat oven to 300F.

Cream butter, shortening, and sugar together until fluffy.

Add in baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Beat until well combined.

Add egg yolks and vanilla; beat until combined.

Add the first cup of flour; beat until just combined. Add the rest of the flour 1/4 c. at a time.

Shape dough into balls. Roll balls in sugar/sprinkle mixture. Place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges are set--do not let brown. Allow to cool slightly on cookie sheet before moving to cooling rack.