Emily's Sugar Cookies

2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Alternate adding buttermilk and dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Dough will be very sticky. Transfer dough to plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, if possible, overnight.

Roll dough out to desired thickness on a very well floured surface. Bake cookies on an oiled cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 6 minutes. Cool completely before icing.

* This is my favorite sugar cookie recipe now! Picture a thick, soft, melt in your mouth cookie from a gourmet bakery and that is exactly what these taste like. I do not enjoy how sticky the batter is and I was shocked how much flour it really takes just to roll these out but it's worth the extra work. I will not be using another recipe for sugar cookies going forward. We used these at a church function for a dessert with a cream cheese, whipped topping and sugar frosting with tons of different cut up fruits to make tarts and they were amazing. You will not be disappointed with this recipe!

Recipe from Emily Brady
Photo from Yummy Fun