This recipe can be used to make cut-out cookies or you can roll teaspoons of dough into balls, dip in sugar, and then flatten with the bottom of a water glass dipped in sugar. I like to use an old sherbet glass that belonged to my grandmother because it has a pretty pattern on the bottom. See you what you can find in your cupboard to make pretty sugar cookies. . .

– 1/2 cup of butter, margarine, or other shortening

– 1 cup sugar

– 2 eggs

– 1 tablespoon of cream (or Half & Half)

– 2 1/4 cups of flour

– 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

– 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

– 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon extract (I have also used lemon juice; if you want a less lemony taste to the cookies, use lemon juice)

Cream together shortening (butter or margarine), sugar, eggs and cream. Mix in the dry ingredients and the lemon extract or the lemon juice. Work the dough with your hands for a minute before rolling out the cookies.

Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

A single recipe makes about three dozen cookies.