I have been thinking about these cookies. Really thinking about them. Like, eating breakfast thinking of them. Tomorrow is National Sugar Cookie Day and Mark’s birthday which makes it a double-great day. 
All of our Paradise Bakeries have been converted to Panera Bread and I am one sad girl. Not only did Paradise Bakery have great salads, soups and sandwiches, their cookies were amazing. This chocolate chip cookie loving girl loved their sugar cookies almost as much. Almost, like maybe just one thin strand of hair less. Their sugar cookies were that good. But alas, they were gone.
Until the magical night this recipe popped up on my Pinterest feed. I was doing tireless research for cookie recipes for my son’s upcoming wedding, specifically the rehearsal dinner. We are doing it at the house and I thought a wide variety of cookies presented on a super-cute table would be perfect. I had the chocolate chip recipe and was now focused on sugar cookies rolled in their wedding color sugars. As I looked through recipes, I longed for the perfect little “chippers” that Paradise Bakery had. As I’ve said many times before, I prefer my cookies smaller so I don’t feel guilty eating six. Imagine my delight when I saw the picture of those beautiful cookies; I couldn’t click on the link fast enough.
Her first sentence had me hooked. The exact recipe! I had everything in the pantry except the key ingredient, cake flour. I had to wait until morning to hit the store for the cake flour as I’m sure zipping into the store in my pajamas and hair tied up out of my face would have been a major faux pas. Yeah, that would have been a sight.
Onto the recipe.
First, cream the sugars and shortening. Mix it on low for 30 seconds then bump it up to medium for three minutes. I’m always amazed watching the creaming process come to life in the mixer.
While that’s creaming away, measure and stir together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Toward the end of the three minutes, at the beaten egg and vanilla.
With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour and mix until just blended. It’s important not to over mix. Try not to eat the batter. I can’t be the only person that likes the batter as much as the finished cookie. Tell me I’m not alone.
Scoop the dough, roll in sugar and place on cookie sheet. These will bake 8-10 minutes, she emphasizes not to let the edges brown. Paradise Bakery never served a sugar cookie that was overcooked. Never, ever so we can’t either.
While the first batch is in the oven, I keep rolling away. I like to let the cookies sit on the cookie sheet for a minute or two after I pull them out of the oven. That goes back to my high school days working in a bakery. Then I slide them on the counter or a wire rack to finish cooling, all the while trying not to eat them all. I did really well this time as Mark and I each only ate one.
One of my favorite things about these cookies is they freeze well. There is almost always a batch of cookies frozen in our freezer. These babies may or may not be safely tucked away in the freezer right now waiting for a party to break them out.
Paradise Bakery Sugar Cookies
Recipe Credit: Noelle O Designs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups shortening
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg, beaten
4 1/3 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Plain or colored sugar, for decorating
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium bowl, cream together sugars and shortening using an electric mixer. Mix on slow speed 30 seconds, then scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Increase speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes.
Slowly add vanilla and beaten egg while mixing.
In a separate bowl, combine cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, mixing on slow speed until just blended. Do not overmix.
Scoop with an ice cream scoop and roll in sugar. Place on baking sheet. Flatten slightly with palm of hand.
Bake 9 to 10 minutes. Cookies are done when small cracks appear and are pale golden. Ideally, do not let edges brown.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.