Help needed - Sugar Cookies

[Sorsha]

OK, here's the deal.

DD15 has been taking an intro-to-Home-Ec sort of class. She took it because she needed a one-semester elective, and this is what was available. She is enjoying it, although I don't think she has any great drive to become Betty Crocker when she grows up.

My problem is her teacher. This woman is so unreasonable! Earlier in the year, the kids had to make a tote bag for the sewing part of the class. I don't have a problem with this, but what I DO have a problem with is that the teacher mandated that everyone buy double-sided pre-quilted fabric to make it with - easily $20 a yard!! Now luckily, using coupons and my employee's discount at JoAnn's, this wasn't too awful for us, but I know there were many kids in the class whose parents just plain couldn't afford it!

Anyhow, now she has sent home a cooking assignment. Each child is to make a batch of sugar cookies at home, alone, and completely clean everything away afterwards. Each child must then take one cookie into class, along with a signed note from parents, to receive their grade. And the teacher has sent the recipe that must be used!! I am sure there are many children out there, especially this time of year, for whom this is a hardship!

Let it be known right now, I DO NOT bake. I make all of our meals from scratch, and I make a mean simmering-all-day-as-we-speak homemade spaghetti sauce, but baked goods - no way. First of all, if I make it, then it is sitting here looking at me, and I will eat it!! My posterior end doesn't need it!! If I feel the need to make cookies or baked goods, I go buy a roll of premade cookie dough or a box of brownie mix, and just add water and a random egg or two. I don't have a lot of ingredients on hand, and I am not going to the store this afternoon if I can help it. So I intend to use a different recipe, and have her do the assignment as stated. I will send a copy of the recipe along with the sample cookie, and an explanation as to why we didn't use the original recipe.

So can anyone give me a tried-n-true recipe for SUGAR COOKIES, with the following critera:
1) No cream of tarter - I don't have any.
2) No shortening. I don't have any and I can't stand the stuff. I usually just substitute with butter.
3) Butter is GOOD. No margarine.
4) No chilling. These aren't supposed to be the chilled and rolled-out sort of cookies. They are just to be rolled into little balls, rolled into sugar or colored sprinkle-sugar, and baked.

Thanks in advance!

 

[SC Minnie]

I have one at home (I'm at work now). Will look it up and post in about an hour. It's pretty easy.

 

[Sorsha]

Wonderful!
Thank you!

 

[NotUrsula]

I really think that you should contact the teacher and clear your plan before doing it. The odds are that she won't have any major objection, but if she supplied a recipe, there has to be a reason why, and it might be an important one. If your DS shows up with a cookie that is lacking that important "it" factor that the original recipe has, she might lose points.

Baking from scratch is in large part an exercise in practical chemistry.
A specific issue that I can think of is that it could be a soft recipe vs. a crispy one; most of the time a cookie made with shortening is going to be a soft cookie, while one made with butter will often turn out crispy, depending upon the amount.

This is going to sound cliched, but have you considered asking a neighbor for the loan of cream of tartar and shortening? If one of my neighbors showed up with your story, I'd cheerfully hand over enough for the recipe.
(Can they make a 1/2 recipe, since they only need one cookie?)

 

[Sorsha]

I really think that you should contact the teacher and clear your plan before doing it. The odds are that she won't have any major objection, but if she supplied a recipe, there has to be a reason why, and it might be an important one. If your DS shows up with a cookie that is lacking that important "it" factor that the original recipe has, she might lose points.

Baking from scratch is in large part an exercise in practical chemistry.
A specific issue that I can think of is that it could be a soft recipe vs. a crispy one; most of the time a cookie made with shortening is going to be a soft cookie, while one made with butter will often turn out crispy, depending upon the amount.

This is going to sound cliched, but have you considered asking a neighbor for the loan of cream of tartar and shortening? If one of my neighbors showed up with your story, I'd cheerfully hand over enough for the recipe.
(Can they make a 1/2 recipe, since they only need one cookie?)

Thanks for your input! i appreciate the ideas. And I may ask the neighbors, once they have all gotten home.

However, this is almost more about my proving a point. I do not think the teacher should be able to dictate what I buy or keep in my kitchen, and if she were to dock my kid's grade because of it, we would be having a discussion. She can mandate my kid's school supply list, but not the contents of my pantry.

The assignment is about my child being able to make cookies, unassisted, (without burning the house down) and cleaning up after herself. IMHO, if she is making sugar cookies, and has covered the above points, the recipe is a moot point.

Have a great day though! And thanks again for the suggestion about the neighbors!

 

[wdwtweets]

I agree that you should just talk to the teacher. Usually the easiest way to resolve a problem is to go right to the source. It seems like you might be making a mountain out of a mole hill. Maybe she has a plan for those who can't afford the supplies and, if you approach her, she might be able to help.

Kids are required different school supplies for different courses. Shortening, cream of tartar and material happen to be the required materials for this course while paper, a ruler and a binder might be the required materials for another course or a musical instrument for another.

In any case, I think that you could give the teacher a chance to make it right for your daughter's situation. You might be proving a point at the cost of your child's grade.

All the best to you. Believe me, I know how stressful it is to have to scrape money together for unexpected things.

 

[java]

hmm what ingredient is in the recipe she wants you to use that you are opposed to?

Just curious as to why you would encourage a different recipe if the teacher gave a specific one? I am assuming she sent the recipe to make it something they have done similarly in class.

I use a recipe that has to be rolled out. If she wants to really show up the teacher tell her to share the rolling it in wax paper trick. Roll it BEFORE you fridge it in between 2 sheets of wax paper. = Then chill- remove after about 10 minutes and use your cutters.

She seems to be making it easier with the balling and rolling vs. cookie cutters. (I bake and I never make them that way)

 

[Sorsha]

It isn't that I am OPPOSED to any certain ingredient - I DON'T HAVE THEM. There was NO prior notice given for this assignment, no note sent home that said "Oh By The Way your child will be required to....". The recipe/assignment came home today, the cookies are due Friday. I am NOT running off to the store to procure Cream of Tartar that I will NEVER use again just to make her recipe. And this is NOT a requirement for this class just like paper or pencils or a musical instrument. If it were, it would have been included on the school supply list at the beginning of the year or in the course description.

I am not going to get into the moral/social/ethical ramifications of substituting one recipe for another. This is NOT a life-altering moment, nor will it influence my child's chances for a productive future or a good college. Its sugar cookies for pete's sake. And if *I* were the teacher, I would praise the child for creative thinking. "Oh, you didn't have any cream of tartar so you and your mom worked together and used the resources at hand to find a reasonable alternative? GOOD JOB!"

Now. If anyone has a recipe they would like to share, I am all for it and would love to have them. Happy holidays, everyone!

 

[RunDanceSkate]

If the cream of tartar is "a pinch", "a teaspoon" or "5g" you can skip it. The cookies will be just a touch, shorter in height. Actually does the receipe call for baking powder, baking soda or ammonium? If so post the amts and I will give you the exact substitutions for the cream of tartar.

Shortening keeps forever so buying it won't be a total loss. Using more butter less shortening will cause your cookies to spread too much. However I can also give you the conversions if you want to use butter. I need to know the amt of:
butter
shortening
salt
and any liquids.

I would give you my recipes but they are all in metric weights, instead of cups, etc.

Cindy Jones
Pastry chef

 

[treehugnmama]

. This is teaching your child if you don't want to do what the teacher asks then don't. WRONG WRONG WRONG!!

 

[Sorsha]

If the cream of tartar is "a pinch", "a teaspoon" or "5g" you can skip it. The cookies will be just a touch, shorter in height. Actually does the receipe call for baking powder, baking soda or ammonium? If so post the amts and I will give you the exact substitutions for the cream of tartar.

Shortening keeps forever so buying it won't be a total loss. Using more butter less shortening will cause your cookies to spread too much. However I can also give you the conversions if you want to use butter. I need to know the amt of:
butter
shortening
salt
and any liquids.

I would give you my recipes but they are all in metric weights, instead of cups, etc.

Cindy Jones
Pastry chef

Butter 1/2 cup
Shortening 1/2 cup
Cream of tartar 1/2 tsp
baking soda 1/2 tsp

Someone told me you can substitute Baking Powder for baking soda and cream of tartar, because that is basically what baking powder is, a mixture of the two with a bit of starch thrown in?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Sorsha]

. This is teaching your child if you don't want to do what the teacher asks then don't. WRONG WRONG WRONG!!

Nope.
If that were what I were teaching her, I would have her skip the assignment completely.
She is still making the cookies, still fulfilling the assignment, just making due with what is available to her. Kind of like turning in a paper written in blue ink instead of black.

I always have and always will teach my children the importance of creative thought. Do your best with what is available to you. We are not sheep, we have the ability to think about what we are doing and make independant decisions, even as children.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Here ya go. I just made these today and they are so yummy and sweet.

2 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) margerine or butter softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375. In small bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside.

In large mixer bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract.
Gradually beat in flour mixture (batter will be stiff).

Roll rounded teaspoons into balls and dip in sugar (I use colored sugar).
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are puffed and slightly golden at edges.
Let stand on cookie sheet 2 minutes. Remove and cool.

Sometimes I add small candy like baking M&M's if I have them.

 

[SDFgirl]

Here's a recipe that doesn't have cream of tartar, but calls for shortening. Not sure if you can subsitute...?

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Soft-Sugar-Cookies-IV/Detail.aspx

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Wow. Your kiddo has a good parent. I'm afraid I'd not be taking too kindly to that sort of assignment. Clearly things are very different from when I got stuck in Home Ec and we made any recipe THERE, not at home.

So buying an Archway cookie is out, huh?

 

[Sorsha]

Here ya go. I just made these today and they are so yummy and sweet.

2 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) margerine or butter softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375. In small bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside.

In large mixer bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract.
Gradually beat in flour mixture (batter will be stiff).

Roll rounded teaspoons into balls and dip in sugar (I use colored sugar).
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are puffed and slightly golden at edges.
Let stand on cookie sheet 2 minutes. Remove and cool.

Sometimes I add small candy like baking M&M's if I have them.

Yummy! Those sound wonderful! Thanks!

 

[SC Minnie]

3 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375. Beat butter until creamy, add sugar, egg, and vanilla. Then add flour 1 cup at the time

Bake 10-12 minutes

THis recipe makes about 4-5 dozen cookies

 

[Sorsha]

3 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375. Beat butter until creamy, add sugar, egg, and vanilla. Then add flour 1 cup at the time

Bake 10-12 minutes

THis recipe makes about 4-5 dozen cookies

Thanks!
I actually have everything for that one!

 

[Sorsha]

So buying an Archway cookie is out, huh?

Yup, I think so.
Things have changed a lot! But that's ok... we roll with the punches.

 

[BCDisneyFanatic]

I would suspect that the teacher gave a particular recipe so that she can make an honest comparison between students' work. She can evaluate how carefully measurements were made and how carefully instructions were followed only if everyone uses the same recipe.

Cream of tartar and shortening aren't particularly expensive (in fact, shortening is cheaper than the butter you're talking about substituting it with). I'm sure you could borrow the cream of tartar from someone (or even from the teacher if your dd asks for a teaspoon!) Your DD is 15...could she walk to the store herself after school to pick up the shortening if you feel you don't have the time?

If the teacher gave the assignment today and demanded that they be completed for tomorrow, I'd agree that she was out of line. But, since that isn't the case, I think the assignment is a fair and reasonable one.