Sugar Cookies Times Three

There are three recipes for sugar cookies in the collection. I decided to stick with a sure thing, so I chose to make the recipe that I must have given to Mom. I got it from my friend Betty, so I recognized it right away. I did use one suggestion from the "Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies" recipe, though. I mixed some sugar with the flour that I used to roll the dough out on. It made it easier to pick up the cookies and I'm guessing that it tastes better too. So here's a trick that I'm pretty sure I made up. Rather than frosting the cookies, I like to use the pastel mint chips (Hickory Farms type). The small mints work best but the large ones are OK too if you cut them in smaller pieces. After baking the cookies about 7 minutes (5 isn't enough), you take them out of the oven and put the mint chips on top. Then put them back in the oven about 30 seconds. Spread with a knife, and voila! Minty frosting.

SUGAR COOKIES (2)
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
Cream together.
3 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Roll 1/4 inch thick. Chill about 1 hour. Bake 400°F 7 min.

Here are the other two recipes for sugar cookies:

OLD FASHIONED SUGAR COOKIES
(Newspaper Clipping)
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup beet sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
In mixing bowl, cream shortening, butter or margarine, and sugar. Stir in each egg thoroughly; then add flavoring. Gradually fold in sifted dry ingredients. Work with about half the dough, keeping the remainder chilled. Roll dough out on board, lightly dusted with mixture of 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup sugar, to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut in desired shapes. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet in a hot oven (350°F) for about 7 to 9 minutes. Cool on cake rack on paper toweling. Makes about 7½ dozen 2-inch cookies.

SUGAR COOKIES
1 cup butter
1½ cup sugar
5½ cups flour
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vinegar
1½ tsp. soda
1½ tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. almond
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
Cream sugar & butter. Add eggs & vanilla & almond extract. Sift dry ingredients. Add milk & dry ingredients. Roll 1/4 inch thick. Bake 400°F 8 to 10 min.