Gross Sugar Cookies

Please don't let the name fool you.  These cookies are anything, but gross.  They are a wonderfully chewy sugar cookie and are the perfect simple cookie.  They are the cookie I go to when I want a quick basic cookie.  What made this particular batch gross was my children's behavior while making them.  
I thought this would be a good recipe for everyone to work on together.  The measurements are easy and can be easily broken down so everyone gets a turn to scoop and measure.  It all sounded good, but that is not the way it happened.  I had one who just wanted to eat the flour and the sugar and take out anything that was added to the bowl.  I had another who decided to take on the role of enforcer and ensure everyone was doing their share, and only their share and the last one was overly sensitive to everything and cried the entire time.  I told the kids their behavior was atrocious and the result would be gross cookies.  They looked at me stopped fighting, crying and eating odd food for 2 minutes then started it back up, at which point I kicked them out of the kitchen.  
When the cookies were done we had our required sample.  Will tried his cookie and told me they were really good cookies and the fighting didn't have any effect on them, it just effected me.  I didn't ask him, but I am pretty sure he was calling me gross. 

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
(from Martha Stewart)


3 c. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1 3/4 c. Granulated Sugar
1/4 c. Brown Sugar
1 Tbs. Grated Lemon Zest
1 Tbs. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 c. Butter, softened
2 Eggs

• • Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

  
  

  Directions: 

  Preheat oven to 350

  Sift flour, baking soda and salt together, set aside.  Combine sugars and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer, mix until just combined.  Add butter and cream until pale and fluffy.  Mix in eggs 1 at a time and then add lemon juice.  Reduce speed, gradually add flour mixture, mix until just combined.  Scoop dough using a 2-inch scoop onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  With a spatula flatten cookies slightly.  Sprinkle with sanding sugar, then lightly brush with a wet pastry brush, sprinkle with more sanding sugar.  Bake cookie until golden, about 15 minutes.  Cool completely.  Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.