Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

I found this sugar cookie recipe many years ago in a book filled with early American recipes. It has the best flavor of any I’ve tried and I’m often asked for the recipe. In the cookbook where I found it, a story was told about a young woman in colonial times baked and sold these best selling cookies to earn extra money. The recipe has since been adapted to use baking soda instead of ammonium carbonate which would have originally been called for. Rolled fairly thin, this is a delicate crisp cookie with a delicious buttery flavor. They are sturdy enough to be frosted but I usually just cut them into various shapes to suit the season and sprinkle them with colored sugars.

1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream the butter and sugar. Beat the eggs lightly and add. Sift in the flour, soda, and cream of tartar. Mix well. Add salt and vanilla. Roll out very thin, about 1/4″ thick, on a floured board. Cut with your choice of cookie cutters. Sprinkle with sugar before baking or plan to frost when cool. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes just until the edges turn golden. Makes about 100 small cookies.