Sugar Cookies

This is a Grandma Zucker recipe. They are called 'Edith's Sugar Cookies', and I have no idea what cookbook they came from. But it was the go-to sugar cookie back in the day.

1 C granulated sugar
1/2 C powdered sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1 C shortening
1 C oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
4 C flour (at times, may have to add another 1/4 cup or so)
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Sift or mix with a wire whisk: flour, powdered sugar, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Cream granulated and brown sugars with the shortening. Add eggs, oil and vanilla. Add the dry mix to the creamed mixture and mix until combined. Dough will be very soft. Refrigerate if needed. Form into small balls and roll in granulated sugar. Flatten with bottom of glass or hand or fork. Bake 10 minutes at 350 F.

Tweaks:

I usually make these with half butter and half shortening. All butter makes them too rich and fragile (not that they aren't already melt-in-your-mouth rich). I also added a little vanilla sugar to the rolling sugar.

These brown very quickly: as little as 30 seconds one way or the other can make a difference. I seem to remember Grandma's being very pale, but by no means underdone. I'm pretty sure she used all shortening. She also used something like a meat fork to flatten the balls, which resulted in a squiggly 'M' shape atop each cookie.