In my almost 3 years of blogging I have never posted a recipe (mostly because I don’t cook and use spatulas for stirring paint.) But I just have to share this recipe with you. I want you to know that now that I am sharing this recipe it was after months of research and about 10 extra lbs. and 15 different recipes. And literally this is the only one that I deem important enough to share. So please relish this moment because its never going to happen again.
There is a little shed in St. George called Swig. If you are ever in town it is a MUST stop. It is located on 1000 East just off of St. George blvd. (Order a cookie and a Dirty Dr. Pepper.) They sell drinks and baked deliciousness. There is always at least an 8 car wait, and everyone gets a sugar cookie. Everyone.
Update: There are now 2 locations! Who knew heaven could be in 2 places at once!!?? The second location just opened up at 287 West St George Blvd.
Swig cookies are my daughters favorite treats/rewards/bribes (and mine). Anyone who tastes a Swig Sugar Cookie will never be the same. They are literally life changing.
Now I am no Gail Simmons, but I am going to try my best to describe these bits of heaven to you. The cookie itself is crunchy and crumbly and buttery (sort of like shortbread) on the rough edges, while the center is soft and chewy. The frosting isn’t too sweet and the combo is well, the best cookie ever. The cookies need to be served cold with the frosting at room temperature to get the full Swig experience.
After a super long time of searching and trying out recipe after recipe that was supposed to be THE BEST SUGAR COOKIE EVER I was coming up empty handed. Until this weekend. I found the recipe. You MUST try these cookies, there is no if ands or buts (or butts) about it.
And I have never written a recipe tutorial…so sorry if this is awkward for everyone involved.
You would be crazy to not pin this for later (or for right now if you are uber motivated.)
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Additional Time18 minutes
Total Time36 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup of Butter
- 3/4 cups Vegetable Oil
- 1 1/4 cups Sugar
- 3/4 cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Water
- 2 Eggs
- 1.2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tarter
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 5 1/2 cups Flower
Sour Cream Frosting
- 1/2 cup room temp. Butter
- 3/4 cup Sour Cream
- 2 cup Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Cream together Butter, Vegetable Oil, Sugars, Water, and Eggs.
- Mix until everything is combined. Your dough should be a little crumbly and not sticky at all.
- Roll a golf ball sized ball of dough and place it on your cookie sheet
- Now its time to give these babies their signature rough edge. Put 1/4 c of sugar and a pinch of salt in a dish (this is in addition to the sugar and salt listed above.) Stick the bottom of a glass in it. This is going to be your cookie press.
- Firmly press it into the center of your dough ball. You want your dough to spill out over the sides of the glass. If there is a lip its even better.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes. They should just barely be browning on the bottom. Move cookies to a cooling rack. Once they are cool put them in the fridge.
- Start by creaming together butter and sour cream and salt. Slowly add powdered sugar. When it gets so thick its not frosting like add a splash of milk. Alternate this process until your frosting is the desired consistency. Add 1 drop of red food coloring and whip on high for 1 minute.
- Keep cookies in a sealed container until they are ready to serve. The magic of a Swig Sugar Cookie is that the cookies are cold and the frosting is room temperature. Frost right before serving (if you make them in advance and need to refrigerate the frosting make sure you give it time to warm up before serving)
- You would be crazy to not pin this for later (or for right now if you are uber motivated.)
Oh, and that hot pink straw in my pictures is actually a color pencil.
FAQs
History. Sugar cookies have a plain flavor and have been made for centuries. The popularity and availability of sugar cookies rose when sugar became widely available. The sugar cookie is believed to have originated in the mid-1700s in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
Can you use store bought cookie dough with cookie cutters? ›
Simple metal cookie cutters can transform store-bought slice-and-bake dough into the most festive holiday dessert. For these Christmas cut-outs, all you need is a 16.5-ounce roll of Pillsbury sugar-cookie dough, some flour, and an oven (elbow grease not included).
What makes cookies taste the best? ›
The key is to always use top-quality ingredients as they'll result in a better cookie; it really is that simple.
- Always use butter.
- Choose the right sugar.
- Choose the right flour.
- Check your flour is in date.
- Choose the right kind of chocolate.
- Cream the butter and sugar.
- Beat in the eggs.
- Fold in the flour.
The long history of manufacturing sugar cookies dates back to the 7th century in Persia. However, sugar cookies as known today were first made by Protestan settlers in the Nazareth colony in Pennsylvania in the 17th century. They were baked in the shape of the state symbol, a keystone.
What country invented sugar cookies? ›
The first real sugar cookie doesn't emerge until the 1700's. Created by Dutch settlers in New York, and referred to as a koekje, this was the first cookie to use an alkaline leavener known as “pearl ash”, and was the real catalyst in the creation of today's modern cookie.
How to make sugar cookie dough mix better? ›
Add extracts
A teaspoon or two of extracts will noticeably boost flavor when blended into your sugar cookie mix. Vanilla is the obvious choice. For a more intriguing flavor, add both vanilla and almond extracts. Rum, maple and anise are other delicious varieties to consider.
How to jazz up sugar cookies? ›
If you're making your own sugar cookie dough, try a different extract — like almond, peppermint, or citrus — instead of vanilla for a flavor change. You can even add finely grated fresh citrus zest for flecks of beautiful color and a nice pop of flavor.
What can I add to cookie dough to make it taste better? ›
Add brown sugar
Adding it to the pre-made dough will give it more sweetness, a chewier texture, moisture and that homemade flavor you're craving. You can also melt butter with brown sugar and incorporate it into the dough for extra tender, chewier cookies.
Do you chill cookie dough before cookie cutters? ›
Once it has been rolled to the thickness you're going for, chill the dough for the requisite time. Once the dough has chilled, peel off the top layer of parchment and cut the cookies out of the rolled sheet. But instead of removing the cut-out cookies, simply remove the scraps from around the cut-outs.
Do you chill cookie dough for cookie cutters? ›
Now that you understand how to use a cookie cutter, it's time to make specialty cookies. Just remember to chill your dough for at least 30 minutes and flour your cookie cutter between each cookie. And of course, make them your own and have fun!
1. Cookies. Cornstarch does kind of incredible things to cookies. I mean not only does it give them soft centers, prevents them from spreading, and makes them somewhat thick (in a good way), but it also contributes to the chewiness factor, which, in my opinion, is the most important cookie attribute.
How do you jazz up sugar cookies? ›
5 Ways to Get Fancy with Your Sugar Cookies
- Make a fancy thumbprint cookie. ...
- Turn them into sandwich cookies. ...
- Decorate with melted chocolate. ...
- Try different flavorings in the sugar cookie dough. ...
- Roll cookie dough logs in sparkly sugar.
Can I flavour these cookies? Yes! Instead of vanilla, you can add another extract like almond, rose water or orange. You can also add some fresh lemon, lime or orange zest to the cookie dough.
What brings out the flavor in cookies? ›
Add more complex proteins, like malted milk powder and brown butter. Caramelizing the sugar beforehand brings bright notes to your cookies, but you can further expand your dessert's flavor profile by playing with proteins.
