Buttermilk Sugar Cookies

I whipped up a batch of these sugar cookies last weekend for a tennis match. And oh my, what an incredible treat! These cookies are a wonderful fluff of subtle sweetness. I could have easily sat down and devoured the entire batch all on my own. Thankfully I had already committed to bringing a dessert to the match, so my will power stepped in and intervened before they were all gone... it was a close call!

The texture of these little sweeties is pure delight. Enjoy one with a cup of hot cocoa or a glass of milk, and you will find yourself floating right up to cloud nine. Heavenly!

Helpful Tip: Up until just recently, I always purchased buttermilk from the grocery store. The problems I often ran into were (1) the milk going bad before I could use all of it or (2) not having enough on hand. So in an effort to be less wasteful, I researched substitutes for buttermilk. And it turns out that you can make your own! Place 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar into a liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to bring liquid to the 1 cup line. Let stand 5 minutes. Voila! This way I can make just the amount of buttermilk I need, when I need it, and none goes to waste. :)  

Ingredients
Yields 3 1/2 dozen
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with Silpat mat or parchment paper; set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream shortening and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, alternating with buttermilk, beating well after each addition (batter will be moist).

Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake 8-10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Source: Taste of Home 2010 Best Holiday Recipes magazine