Twelve days of Christmas baking: day two (Texas "swig" cookies)

Let it be known that I am a sugar cookie snob. In fact, I cannot/will not eat most sugar cookies if they are not my recipe. However, I have been hearing about this popular place (Swig) in Utah that makes amazing sugar cookies so I decided to pocket my recipe for a moment during the holidays and make these much-talked about cookies. So after comparing multiple copycat recipes, I settled on what I deemed the most tasty, and I made them this afternoon with Elle's help. Swig cookies are generally frosted pink, but Elle would have nothing of it so we went with blue. 

So what is it about these cookies that people can't stop talking about you may wonder? The dough is made with both white sugar and powdered sugar, which is different than most sugar cookie recipes, and the frosting is made with a hint of sour cream, which is new to me. They are doughy and bendy, and Mya declared it was the best cookie she had ever eaten. The other girls devoured them, and Tim liked the one he tried. 

Do we think it's the best sugar cookie ever? No. Sorry Swig. My recipe is better. Plus, the thing I really love about sugar cookies is cutting shapes and decorating the tops with different colors and sprinkles. Swig cookies are meant to be circular with a rustic edge. So if you want to make Christmas shapes, use my favorite recipe that I shared a few years back, but if you want to make a delicious, round, no fuss sugar cookie, this is a great option. Enjoy!

A Texas "Swig" cookie

For the cookie: 

5 1/2 c. + 2 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 c. (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

1 1/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. powdered sugar

3/4 c. canola/vegetable oil (I only use canola oil)

2 Tbsp. water

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs, room temperature

For the frosting: 

5 Tbsp. butter, softened

1/3 c. + 1 Tbsp. sour cream (I used light)

1/4 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. milk

3 1/2-4 c. powdered sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla

1 drop food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. In a separate bowl or mixer, cream butter and sugars for at least 2 minutes. Slowly add oil while beating. Add the water and vanilla, and add one egg at a time until all is combined. Scrape sides of bowl if needed. Slowly add dry mixture to the wet mixture. 

Roll dough into 2 inch balls. Take a drinking glass and dip it into a bowl of 1/4 c. sugar with a pinch of salt and press the glass into the ball of dough until it is 1/2 inch thick (the dough should form a jagged edge). Repeat with all the cookies. Bake cookies for 8 minutes. It is important not to bake the cookies too long.  

While the cookies cool, cream the butter, sour cream and salt together. Add powdered sugar and milk slowly. Add vanilla and food coloring. Mix well. Frost the cookies when they have cooled completely. The cookies are meant to be kept in the refrigerator so I put mine in an air-tight tupperware. 

Adapted from Garnish and Glaze.