Recipes and Cooking Sugar Cookies Soft Sugar Cookies By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on February 22, 2013 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Prep Time: 35 mins Bake Time: 12 mins Total Time: 47 mins Yield: 48 cookies Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients ½ cup butter, softened ½ cup shortening 2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cream of tartar ⅛ teaspoon salt 3 egg yolks ½ teaspoon vanilla 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour Directions Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl combine butter and shortening. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart a parchment-lined or ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very light brown. (Do not let edges brown.) Cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely. Honey Cookies: Prepare as directed, except reduce sugar to 1-1/3 cups and beat in 1/3 cup honey or lavender-flavor honey with the sugar. Increase flour to 2 cups. Continue as directed. (Centers may dip slightly after baking.) For icing, in a medium bowl combine 1/4 cup honey, 3 tablespoons softened butter, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in 3 cups powdered sugar. Beat in 1/4 cup milk to make icing of drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Makes about 48 cookies.Nutrition Facts per cookie: 128 calories, 1 g protein, 21 g carb., 5 g total fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 2 g sat. fat, 0 g fiber, 2% Vitamin A, 0% Vitamin C, 52 mg sodium, 0% calcium, 2% iron To Store: Layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Tips Tender and sweet sugar cookies offer welcome canvases for flavor artistry. Add dashes of new flavors - spices, shredded citrus peel, or extracts - to make your cookies distinct. Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 88 Calories 4g Fat 12g Carbs 1g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Calories 88 % Daily Value * Total Fat 4g 5% Saturated Fat 2g 10% Cholesterol 18mg 6% Sodium 47mg 2% Total Carbohydrate 12g 4% Total Sugars 8g Protein 1g Iron 0.2mg 1% Potassium 17mg 0% Folate, total 8.1mcg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.