Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookies

I have been missing my "Tried it Out Thursday Posts",

 so I figured today was a good day to get back on track with a great recipe!!

I have a HUGE weakness for soft and chewy sugar cookies! I have tried several recipes in the past but none have quite got the chewy texture that I like.  When I saw this recipe over at Healthy Eating for Ordinary People I had to try it out.  My findings were THESE COOKIES ARE NOW MY FAVORITE!!  They are soft, chewy and very delicious.  In fact I had to give most of them to the neighbors otherwise I would of eaten the whole batch. 

Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookies
adapted from Healthy Eating for Ordinary People
1 1/2  cups sugar
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons butter, melted and still warm
1/3 cup oil
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar - colored or white

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray sheeting with cooking oil.

Put the 1½ cups of sugar and the cream cheese into a large bowl of an electric mixer. Pour the butter in and combine. Add in the oil and mix for a minute or so. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix for another minute or so. Add the flour, soda, baking powder and salt and mix for another minute or two until a soft dough forms.

Spread the remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a separate shallow bowl.

Pinch off even pieces of dough, about 2 tablespoons each. (The original recipe suggests that you separate 24 pieces first to be sure they are all the same size.) Use your hands to roll the dough into balls. Roll each ball in the sugar to coat it. Space the balls evenly on the baking sheet, 12 per sheet. Use the bottom of a cup to flatten the dough balls slightly. Sprinkle the tops evenly with a bit more sugar. * I used my cookie scoop.

Bake until the edges are set and just beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. You want them light colored. Cool the cookies for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack and allowing to cool completely.

Usually when I make sugar cookies my family insist on having frosting on them. The frosting was not missed at all with these cookies!

YUM! 

Think I need to bake a batch today!!