Happy Fall!

and thank you Beck. She reminded me of some fun days coming up--today, the first day of Fall, and Friday, Johnny Appleseed's Birthday. The kids don't have school Friday, because after having the entire week of last week, of course they need another day off, we'll have to do something fun to commemorate Johnny's birthday. As for today? Fall sugar cookies, of course. Even though it doesn't feel like Fall, (80's and sunshiny) we can still celebrate.

Here's my favorite sugar cookie recipe, from Bon Appetit, December, 2003.
Cookies
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Additional sugar

For cookies:
Sift first 3 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl to blend well. Add egg, sour cream, and vanilla; beat 1 minute. Beat in dry ingredients in 2 additions until just blended. Gather dough together; divide in half. Flatten each half into disk; wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Soften dough slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Sprinkle work surface and top of dough disks with additional sugar. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness (dough will be very soft). Using assorted 2- to 3-inch cookie cutters, cut out cookies. Transfer to prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Gather scraps and roll out on sugared surface; cut out more cookies. Repeat until all dough is used. Chill all cookies on baking sheets at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until light golden at edges, about 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.

Glaze: (This does not come from Bon Appetit, it's mine)
apx. 3 c. powdered sugar, sifted
scant 1/4 c. very hot water
1 T. light corn syrup
3/4 tsp. vanilla
Combine all together, microwave 20 seconds or so until smooth. Add more hot water if needed. Glaze cookies, cover with sprinkles.