Remember my post on soft Sugar Cookies?
(If you don't, I suggest you visit/revisit it as well) :P
What I basically did is what I always do with recipes--whether they are off the internet, from books, etc.--tweaked, played around with and made it better (or so I think; food/taste is subjective after all).
To make these cookies softer and to add another dimension of flavor, I substituted half of the sugar with brown sugar (I would have substituted all of it but I didn't have enough brown sugar) and added a little bit of cream cheese!
These cookies aren't really chewy but they melt in your mouth and stay softer longer! Don't worry, I'll post a chewy recipe one of these days!
Here is the tweaked recipe/my recipe:
Soft Sugar Cookies:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened but still firm (60 to 65 degrees)
1/2 package philly cream cheese (4 ounces), room temp (soft)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (4 ounces)
1/2 cup light brown sugar (4 ounces)
1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees (350 if convection). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl; set aside.
2. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment or with hand mixer, beat butter, cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Add egg and vanilla; beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.
3. Place sugar for rolling in shallow bowl. Fill medium bowl halfway with cold tap water. Dip hands in water and shake off excess (this will prevent dough from sticking to your hands and ensure that sugar sticks to dough). Roll heaping tablespoon dough into 1 1/2-inch ball between moistened palms; roll ball in sugar, then place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, moistening hands after forming each ball and spacing balls about 2 inches apart on baking sheet (you should be able to fit 12 cookies on each sheet). If you would like, press down on balls to flatten slightly (you can also just bake them as they are, that's also fine).
4. Bake until cookies are slightly golden brown around edges and just set and very lightly colored in center, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking trays halfway through baking time. Cool cookies on baking sheet about 3 minutes; transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.
The cookies keep in a tightly sealed container for about 4 days. Or you may freeze them for several months!
