In Search of the Perfect Sugar Cookie

Hello again!

The weather has been so stormy lately, and being stuck inside the house means endless amounts of time to peruse Pinterest and find more recipes to bookmark. As I am scrolling through endless amounts of pins, wondering what to do with myself on such a rainy day, I see this post for "Thick, Soft Sugar Cookies". Intrigued are you? I was. So with the rain coming down in buckets, I resist the urge to just sleep/lounge all day and head to my kitchen.

Do you have one of those treats that just reminds you of the first time you baked with your mom or on your own? For me, it's sugar cookies. From those little ones with the printed image in the center that you slice and bake, to cut-out Christmas cookies, sugar cookies have always been my favorite. So I have quite the high expectations when it comes to finding recipes online. I want a cookie that is a) soft b) chewy and c) only slightly vanilla flavored. Sugar cookies shouldn't be vanilla cookies, they should be, well, sugar - flavored. You all know what I mean, right?

Right. So I find this recipe that appears to be a good match to what I'm searching for. Pretty straightforward recipe, though I was surprised to see sour cream as an ingredient. But I decided to have some fun and I split the dough in half and make some pink cookies too. Since, well, who doesn't like pink? I also wanted perfectly round cookies, and so I channeled my inner MacGyver and used the top of the PAM spray to cut out cookies. Super easy and no need to buy a cookie cutter.

Cute? Definitely. Sugar Cookie? Yes. But, my friends, it was not to be. The quest for the perfect sugar cookie continues.

Not that these were bad. No, actually my brother and his friends quite liked them. To me, though, they were a little bland and a little dry. In all fairness, Peppermint Plum did cover her cookies with a nice thick coating of frosting, and that probably did make them delicious and much richer. But for me, a really great sugar cookie doesn't need frosting. It's a cookie, not a cake. Maybe some rainbow sprinkles, I'll give you that, but like I said, I have really high expectations when it comes to these.

But hey, even though they weren't my favorite, it still gave me another chance to play around with the camera and try to improve my photography skills. It also kept me from sitting on my bum all day watching tv, so in the grand scheme, it actually was a pretty successful baking experience.

I've included the link to the recipe here, with some more photos as I continue to practice my food styling. As I continue to fight with lighting issues I don't quite know how to amend without professional lighting, and my own lack of creativity when it comes to setup, I remind myself - practice makes perfect (or better at least). One day though, I will have picturesque setups with my desserts on beautiful cake stands and adorable accessories and backdrops. One day.

Please feel free to leave suggestions in the comment box if you have any ideas for cute ways to set up my photos! :D I'm always up for hearing from fellow bloggers on ways to improve. Happy Baking!