Here in Bakersfield we have a local bakery shop called Smith's Bakeries. They have several locations throughout town. One of their best sellers, especially for holidays and special occasions, are their sugar cookies.
My sister got this recipe from a coworker and these cookies are truly close to Smith's cookies. Topped with your favorite frosting or icing and you've got a sure hit on your hands. As the chef Justin Wilson used to say, "I guarantee!"
This post will be about the sugar cookies themselves. My comments and observations will be in { }. Following will be a post on the icing I used.
The ingredients are: 2/3 cup butter (soft, but NOT melted); ¾ cup sugar; ½ teaspoon vanilla; 1 egg; 4 teaspoons milk (optional); 2 cups flour; 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder; ¼ teaspoon salt.
Mix butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg till light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients together.
Stir in milk. (This is optional, sometimes makes the dough too soft.) {Tina here--I've made this recipe a few times now and have never added the milk.}
Slowly add dry ingredients to wet.
Chill the dough for one hour. {It doesn't say to wrap in plastic wrap but I do.}
Chill the dough for one hour. {It doesn't say to wrap in plastic wrap but I do.}
Roll out fairly thick...
...about the thickness of a pencil.
Bake at 375° {on ungreased cookie sheet} until set but not brown. {For me it's about 12 minutes.)
Frost with your favorite type of frosting or icing.Almost Smith's Cookies
2/3 C butter (soft, but NOT melted)
¾ C sugar
½ t vanilla
1 egg
4 t milk (optional)
2 C flour
1 ½ t baking powder
¼ t salt
Mix butter, sugar, vanilla, egg till light and fluffy.
Stir in milk (optional, sometimes makes dough too soft).
In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients together.
Slowly add dry ingredients to wet.
Chill dough 1 hour.
Roll out fairly thick, about the thickness of a pencil or so.
Bake at 375° till set but not brown. (About 10-12 minutes.)
Cookie bottoms should be just golden or lighter at the edges.
Ice with icing.
{Makes 2 dozen cookies.}
{There was a note at the bottom of the email sent to me. I don't know if it was my sister's note or the lady who sent it to her.}
Sometimes I substitute ground almonds for some of the flour to change it up a bit. I've also added dried cranberries and blueberries to the dough before chilling it.
9 comments:
OMiGosh! What is it that you cannot do? You've brought us right there into your kitchen, drooling and salivating all the while!! Hey, I know of a cleaning lady (moi) who can help with all the "clean up"! ; )
Love, M
Hi, I use to live in bakersfield and miss smiths cookies so much! I'm glad I found your recipe and I'm going to give it a try! I was wondering could I use this recipe for the thumbprint cookies too?? And what frosting can I put in the thumbprints?? Thanks!!
I've never tried to use the cookie dough for anything other than a sugar cookie but I don't see why it couldn't work as a thumb print cookie. I'd think just any regular cream cheese or butter frosting would work.
What icing did you use for these? And what it anything like smiths? I live in Texas now and miss my Smith cookies
The recipe I used for the frosting/icing on these cookies is at
http://wilamarfarm.blogspot.com/2009/04/sugar-cookie-icing.html
This is not the same frosting that Smith's uses. I think they use a butter frosting. The cookies are like Smith's. I think you will like them.
I have been searching for this recipe for years. Grew up in Bako years ago. Still miss Smith's, Dewar's and Basque Restaurants! Can't wait to try this, Thanks!
Missy
Just a note, The happy face cookies etc where actually a shortbread cookie not sugar cookies. I worked there in the deco department for 5 years, loved the thumbprint and the deco cookies. The main icing used on them that covered the majority of the cookies are a type of poured fondant icing. I had a recipe I had found and tried years ago after leaving there, it was really good and the icing was a perfect match. But I have since lost it and can't find another to match the quality of Smiths :(
Like I said, this recipe was from a friend of my sister. I don't know if they are supposed to to be the smiley face cookies or not... I know the icing I used is definitely not the same as the smiley face cookie frosting. Whether they are actually close to anything Smith's Bakery made or not, these are still a very delicious cookie! Cheers!
Thank you! I thought it was a fondant icing also on the base of all of their deco cookies. I believe they then add the top decorations with their buttercream.
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