These Easter Sugar Cookies are the perfect to make on a spring day with your little ones. Moist, thick and chewy sugar cookies that are easy to cut into all sorts of shapes and decorate with frosting!
In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Add the sour cream and vanilla.
Next, add the baking soda, baking powder, flour, salt, and mix all together. The dough should be tacky without being sticky; adjust the flour as needed until you have a workable dough.
Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes (and up to 2 days).
Working with ¼ of the dough at a time, roll it out on a well-floured surface to ¼- to ½-inch thick. Be generous with your flour on the rolling surface since the dough is very tender; it will stick easily.
Use cookie cutters to make shapes, and transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 7 to 10 minutes.
Repeat with remaining dough, gathering and re-rolling the scrap dough as you go along.
Decorate cooled cookies with icing and sprinkles; the messier the better.
I don’t use shortening for a lot of recipes (this and My Favorite Pie Crust Recipe are about the only ones that I use it in), but it helps the cookies keep their shape and the end result is so much nicer. I figure if you’re just eating stuff like that a few times a year, it’ll balance itself out.