I love sugar cookies. Growing up, it was a family tradition that every year that we would make sugar cookies as a family. When we were little, my sister and I used to argue about which cookie cutters to use – more reindeer! no, more snowmen! – and then later it became a hot debate as to whether or not we should replace the traditional cinnamon sugar mix with a more festive green and red sprinkle topping (blergh!)
Fortunately, now that I’m an adult and have a family of my own, I get to make sugar cookies my way. These may be a little different than the ones that you’re growing up with too. While I remember really doughy, fluffy cookies, the sugar cookies I prefer are a little more crisp, a little less sweet, but still loaded with cinnamon. Personally, I think that it helps put the focus of the cookie on the cinnamon, and when it comes to cinnamon, I just can’t get enough!
Cookware
-Cookie cutters (the more the better!) 
-Baking tray
-Silicone baking mat (for easy clean-up)
-Mixing bowls
-Measuring spoons
-Cutting board
-Rolling pin
Ingredients
-1/3 cup of shortening
-1/3 cup coconut oil
-3/4 cup granulated sugar
-1/4 cup granulated sweetener (like Swerve)
-2 eggs 
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-3 cups of flour
(if Gluten-Free, using All-purpose gluten free flour with
1/4 teaspoon xantham gum for each 1 cup)
-2 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 milk (almond milk works just fine too!)
-Cinnamon and sugar combined for sprinkling 
*Note: If you want a doughier, sweeter cookie, just use
2/3 cup of shortening and a full cup of granulated sugar.
Steps
1. Sift the flour to make it a little bit easier to work with. Then mix with salt, baking powder, and a little bit of cinnamon, if desired.
2. Cream together the shortening and the coconut oil in a separate bowl. You can do this by hand, but it’s easier if you have a mixer (but not required!) Just make sure to get all of the “chunks” out.
3. Add the two sugars, eggs, vanilla, and milk to the shortening and mix well.
4. All the flour to the bowl and mix until combined.
5. Refrigerate the dough. I usually leave it in there for at least two hours, but it’s however long it takes for the dough to become manageable.
6. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350. Make sure when you’re preparing your cookies that you don’t do it on the oven surface as it’s preheating, as the cookie dough will start to become sticky as it heats up.
7. Roll out the chunks of dough on a cutting board, covering both the cutting board and the rolling pin with flour to make rolling out the dough easier.
8. Now the fun part! Use the cookie cutters to make as many fun shapes as you want/can fit on your dough. Once finished, transfer them over to your baking pan.
9. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. I usually try to do 3/4 cinnamon, 1/4 sugar, then decide it isn’t cinnamon-y enough and throw more cinnamon in there until it tastes right to me. Do what works for you!
10. Cook at 350 degrees for 12-13 minutes. It might take as long as 15 minutes, depending on your oven. Just be careful not to leave them in there too long, as these cookies can get very dry if you overbake them.
11. Allow to cool. You can transfer them to wire cookie racks if you have them, otherwise I just let them cool on the baking tray to get a little firmer on the bottom. Enjoy!
The No Nose Kitchen 
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