Published November 1, 2002.
While developing a sugar cookie recipe for chewy cookies with big vanilla flavor, we determined a few things: Using just one whole egg gave us the chew we wanted, a healthy dose of vanilla delivered good flavor, and light brown sugar added a hint of nuttiness to our sugar cookies recipe. To form the substantial cookies and give them their characteristic sugary crunch, we rolled them into 1 1/2 inch balls with wet hands, tossed in sugar (the dampness helped the sugar stick), and then flattened them slightly with the bottom of a drinking glass.
The cookies are softer and more tender when made with unbleached flour that has a protein content of about 10.5 percent. Pillsbury or Gold Medal works best; King Arthur flour has a higher protein content (around 11.7 percent) and will result in slightly drier, cakier cookies. Do not discard the butter wrappers; they have just enough residual butter on them for buttering the bottom of the drinking glass used to flatten the dough balls. To make sure the cookies are flat, choose a glass with a smooth, flat bottom. Rolled into balls, the dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 week. The baked cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
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