The Best Soft Sugar Cookies

My favorite cookie is a sugar cookie. However, I'll admit I'm a sugar cookie snob and I turn my nose up to most recipes. I've seen beautifully decorated sugar cookies with royal icing but they taste like cardboard, and isn't the point of a cookie to eat it? I've tasted good sugar cookies that don't keep their shape. If I'm going to do all the work of rolling them out they better keep their shape. I've also had cookies that either the cookie is good or the frosting is but not both. This recipe is Wonderful! It makes a thick, soft, sugar cookie with good flavor and keeps its shape. Paired with my famous frosting it makes the perfect cookie. Okay, now I do sound like a snob but it really is the best recipe I've ever found and I get tons of requests for it. It's a simple recipe too with no weird requirements. I make these for all the different holidays using cute cookie cutters to match it and they are so much fun to make with the kids. Give this one a try.
*I usually double or triple this recipe and give some away or they freeze well

Soft Sugar Cookies
3c flour
1c sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 c butter, margarine, or shortening
2 eggs
1/3 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut butter into flour mixture until crumbly. In a separate bowl mix together the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Add liquids to flour and stir until moist. Knead in bowl until smooth. If dough is very sticky after kneading add a little more flour but remember the dough will get more flour after being rolled out on flour surface. Roll out the dough on a flour surface with a rolling pin. You may need to sprinkle some flour on the top of the dough and rolling pin so it doesn't stick. Cut out shapes and bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes or until cookies are very light brown on the edge. These cookies should not get very dark or they are burned. Frost after they have cooled.  Makes around 36 cookies.

Frosting
1 cup butter or margarine (room temperature)
*I use margarine, don't let your heart stop ;)
4-6 c powdered sugar
milk, as needed
1 tsp vanilla
a couple drops Almond Extract *A MUST HAVE*
food coloring
The frosting is made by taste. I never measure any of it. Put two sticks of margarine in a large mixing bowl. On low speed mix with electric beaters margarine slowly adding in about 2 c of powdered sugar. Add a little milk when it gets too thick. Add more powdered sugar, vanilla and almond extract. Almond extract is very strong so just a few drops and taste. Continue to mix in powdered sugar until frosting reaches desired thickness and taste. Add a little food coloring and frost cookies (or cake but will only need half recipe).