SWEET MARTHA'S COOKIES RECIPES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, sift all dry ingredients together.
• In a separate mixing bowl using a hand mixer, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated.
• Combine dry and wet ingredients. Don't over mix. Add chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit in the fridge overnight, or up to 3 days.
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F*. To get the cookies just the right size, use a standard cookie scooper - then divide that amount in half. Place cookie dough balls evenly onto a baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until barely done. You want to under-baked these cookies slightly so they turn out soft and gooey.
• *Some readers reported better results baking the cookies at 375F instead of 350F. This results in a cookie that is more crispy on the outside with a slightly soft center.

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
• Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Divide dough in half; flatten each half into a disk. Wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees with racks in upper and lower thirds. Let one disk of dough stand at room temperature just until soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes. Roll out dough between two pieces of plastic wrap to 1/4 inch thick. Remove top layer of plastic wrap. Cut out cookies with a 4-inch one-piece-shaped cookie cutter. To make an ornament, cut out a hole from the center of the neck about 1/4-inch from the edge using a straw. Transfer cookie dough on plastic wrap to a baking sheet. Transfer baking sheet to freezer, freeze until very firm, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet from freezer and transfer shapes to baking sheets lined with nonstick baking mats. Roll out scraps, and repeat. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.
• Bake, switching positions of sheets and rotating halfway through, until edges turn golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.