Old Salem Sugar Cookies
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, at room temperature
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
Instructions:
Because the cookie dough must season overnight before it’s rolled, begin this recipe the day before you bake the cookies.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and nutmeg together onto a piece of wax paper and set aside.
- Cream the butter in a large electric mixer bowl at moderately high speed for about 1 minute until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the sugar and continue beating until again light. With the motor running, add the vanilla, lemon and almond extracts, then the eggs and egg yolk. Sift in the combined dry ingredients and beat at low speed just enough to form a soft, sticky dough.
- Shape the dough into a ball, flatten slightly, then wrap in aluminum foil and allow to season overnight in the refrigerator.
- Next day when ready to proceed, preheat the oven to 325° F. Also grease several baking sheets and set aside.
- Working with about one fourth of the dough at a time, roll on a well-floured pastry cloth with a well-floured stockinette-covered rolling pin to a thickness of 1/8 inch or about as thin as pie crust.
- Cut into rounds with a well-floured 2¾-to 3-inch biscuit or cookie cutter and space the cookies about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. Or, if you prefer, cut into fancy shapes but note that you may end up with fewer cookies.
- Bake the cookies in the lower third of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned around the edge.
- Transfer at once to wire racks and cool to room temperature. Layer the cooled cookies between sheets of wax paper in a large, airtight container and store in a cool, dry spot.