Sugar Cookies. please

I am always leary of trying American recipes when it comes to baking. Has anyone here succesfully made sugar cookies - the kind you cut out with a cookie cutter? I'd like to get started with my holiday baking. Thanks!

Make them every year.  No bother at all.

I used martha stewarts recipe from her website last year and they were great!

I used martha stewarts recipe from her website last year and they were great!

Same here and it is a fantastic recipe.  When frosted, they remind me of those old MOTHER brand circus animal cookies - the white and pink ones with the sprinkles??

Same here and it is a fantastic recipe.  When frosted, they remind me of those old MOTHER brand circus animal cookies - the white and pink ones with the sprinkles??

I loved those

I loved those

I just bumped into them back home and decided I had to have a bag....they were for the kids of course...I ate most of them

I use that recipe as well, and another of hers that is a chocolate one that is great for cookie cutting.

OK, then... I have a very dumb question... what flour do I use? I don't actually know what "All Purpose" flour is. I wasn't much of a baker when I was in the US. I have plain, self-raising, and hard flours here. Which one is the one for making cookies? Which is "all purpose?"

That and the bother with the baking powder or soda or whatever has always made me afraid to try American baking recipes.

All purpose is plain flour here and works perfectly for cookies.

And use either powder or soda if the recipe asks for it.  It's a breeze!!! You'll be fine.

Could we get the links to the Martha recipes please? :-)

sugar cookie

chocolate cookies

 

Oh goodie!  Just in time to use those new US measuring spoons & dry measuring cups a friend just brought me from the US.

Oh goodie!  Just in time to use those new US measuring spoons & dry measuring cups a friend just brought me from the US.

Wait... You mean I need American cups and spoons? I have measuring cups and spoons, already (although I don't use them very often. The cups, anyway.) Please tell me that they're the same.

Oh, and how much is "One half cup" (one stick) of butter? 

Thanks for those links Balmerhon! Those chocolate cookies look gorgeous!

When I worked for Chrysler in the USA, each Christmas my German boss would bake the best.. I mean very very best cookie assortment for each of us. Each one was perfectly shaped and the cut outs were all decorated differently.  The one's I enjoyed the most were the all butter shortbread sticks. Does anyone have a good recipe for pfeffernuesse by the way? Now that I have a proper sized double oven I may attempt holiday cookies.