high altitude sugar cookies

I've made this recipe before, and I love it because it's the first sugar cookie recipe I've found that was already adjusted for high altitude, which is a must for someone living in Utah.

I searched for a long time for this recipe because every other sugar cookie recipe I'd tried came out like puddles of mush.  They didn't hold their shape when I used cookie cutters, and I couldn't figure out how to make them right.

I tried adjusting by putting more flour in, but then they tasted like . . . well, flour.  They held their shape, but weren't any good to eat.

I did a google search for high altitude recipes, and I wish I could remember where I got this one, but I found it after trying several.  (If this is your recipe, please let me know so I can give you credit!)

**Edited: I found the blog with the recipe I used.  Check out High Altitude Cooking!!

I wanted something simple to share for my first "real" post on my new blog, and I'm thinking this might be a bad omen, but in the interest of full disclosure, I'm posting it anyway.

First, I'll share the recipe, and hopefully, you'll make it, it'll come out beautifully, and then I'll share what happened:

High Altitude Simple Sugar Cookies


1 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1-1/4 tsp baking powder


Directions:
1.  Cream together butter and sugar until smooth.
2.  Mix in egg and vanilla.
3.  In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
4.  Add flour mixture to wet ingredients in intervals, mixing between.
5.  Divide dough into 4 parts and refridgerate for 1 hour.
6.  Roll out dough between two pieces of wax paper to 1/4-1/2 inch thickness.
7.  Cut shapes and arrange onto a cookie sheet.
8.  Bake for 7-8 minutes at 375 degrees.

or

6.  Spoon 1 inch balls onto a cookie sheet.
7.  Bake for 7-8 minutes at 375 degrees.



Done baking?

Okay, read on . . .

I started this recipe at night, and by the time the 1 hour refrigeration was done, I was too tired to bake them, so I just left them in the fridge until morning. 

The next morning, I decided to make round sugar cookies, so I spooned balls onto a cookie sheet and baked them.

What you are looking at are the baked cookies--not the unbaked cookies!

They didn't flatten out!!  (Picture me with my brow furrowed and my head cocked to one side.)

I still can't figure out why.  Anybody? 

Too long in the fridge?

On the plus side, they were slightly doughy inside, which is how my husband likes them anyway.

And the troublemakers enjoyed them:

Including the smallest troublemaker!

Aren't kids wonderful?!  My five-year-old actually told me they were delicious!