My Very Best Sugar Cookies

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. salad oil
1/4 c. plus 4 tsp. sugar
1/4 c. packed powdered sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp. vanilla


With the rack in the highest position, preheat oven to 375*.

Combine the flour, slat, soda, and cream of tartar and set aside.

Cream the butter and oil, gradually adding 1/4 c. sugar and the powdered sugar and beat until smooth and light.

Add the egg yolk and vanilla, beating until pale yellow and fluffy.

With a wooden spoon, combine the dry ingredients. The dough will be soft.

Using heaping Tbsp. of batter as a guide, roll the dough into 13 balls. Rolls the balls in the remaining sugar and place them 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.

Place a sheet of wax paper over the sugared cookie balls. Using the bottom of a glass, lightly flatten each cookie.

Bake for 6 minutes. Reverse the pan so back is in the front and bake 4 minutes more. The cookies will be golden and crackly on top.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 2-3 minutes. Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.