Kimberly, it does depend on what you want. I have some cookie recipes which do not puff up, those are the ones without leavening like baking powder. Mine are more like shortbread. Some are very soft and "puffy", they sometimes spread too much to make good cutouts. And, as you mentioned, some are just too bland.

I use butter, not margarine, because I like the flavor. I use a lot of vanilla extract, also for flavor. I like this one from Joy of Cooking, I especially like these frosted.

JOY OF COOKING RICH ROLLED SUGAR COOKIES

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until very fluffy and well blended. Add and beat in the egg, baking powder, salt, and vanilla until evenly incorporated. Stir in flour until well blended and smooth.

Divide the dough in half and shape into circles. Place each circle between large sheets of wax paper. Roll out a scant 1/4-inch thick, checking the underside frequently and smoothing out any creases. Keeping the wax paper in place, layer the rolled dough on a tray and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes, or until cold and slightly firm but not hard.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

Working with 1 portion of dough (leave the other refrigerated), gently peel away and replace 1 sheet of the wax paper. (This will make it easier to lift the cookies from the paper later.) Peel off and discard the second layer. Using 2- or 3-inch cutters, cut out cookies. With a wide spatula, carefully transfer them from the wax paper to the cookie sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.

Roll any dough scraps between wax paper and continue cutting out cookies until all the dough is used. If the dough becomes too warm to handle at any point, refrigerate it again briefly. If desired, very lightly sprinkle the cookies with colored sprinkles or colored decorating sugar.

Bake, 1 sheet at a time, in the upper third of the oven for 6 to 9 minutes, or until cookies are just slightly colored on top and slightly darker at the edges. Rotate sheets halfway through baking for even browning. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cookies firm up, 1 to 2 minutes, Then transfer the cookies to wire racks and let stand until thoroughly cool.

Store, airtight, for 1 or 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Makes 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 dozen 2 1/2 to 3 1/2-inch cookies.

I like these better if I'm going to just sprinkle them with colored sugar, sometimes I add orange extract and sandwich them with a bit of ganache:

Rich Buttery Sugar Cookies

2 cups butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups white sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups flour

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the flour. Cover and chill for 2-3 hours. After chilled, roll dough onto lightly floured surface to about 1/4" thickness. Cut into desired shaped w/ cookie cutters. Place onto nonstick (or lightly greased regular) cookie sheets, 1" apart. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes until lightly gold (NOT brown) at edges. Cool for 5 minutes before moving to wire rack.

Good luck. I tried several recipes before I found the ones I liked, taste is subjective, so you'll need to experiment and find the ones you like. Just think, you get to eat all the "test" cookies, double bonus!

Annie

I have tried many recipes for sugar cookies and my favorite (by far) is the Martha Stewart recipe. The dough is easy to work with and the cookies hold their shape well. Oh, and they are absolutely delicious!

Check the link below
Alexa

Here is a link that might be useful: Martha Stewart Sugar Cookies

Use powdered sugar instead of bench flour. Flour adds gluten, especially if you save the scraps of dough for second-cuts, which makes the cookies tough, and baked raw flour isn't very tasty. The powdered sugar will melt and add a little sweetness.

-Grainlady

Grainlady, I don't understand. What's bench flour? Are you saying to substitute powdered sugar for the flour in the recipe?

Sally

What she means is don't use flour on the surface you are rolling the dough out on. Use powdered sugar instead.

You still use flour in the dough - dust the "bench" and your rolling pin with powdered sugar instead of flour.

Thanks for answering this mystery for me. Good to know about the powdered sugar. My aunt made the best sugar cookies at Christmas . My sisters and I always thought the reason we loved them was the icing. Now I know We asked her daughters and they had no clue. Guess they never made them after she passed away. Will certainly try the powdered sugar tip.
Mary

One trick I can share is when I rolled the sugar cookie dough out I had it between 2 pieces of parchment paper. It certainly was a lot cleaner. If I do roll it out on the table I will use powdered sugar instead of flour. The powdered sugar will only make it that much sweeter.

My grandmother used to make a delicious, soft sugar cookie with crisco and buttermilk. We have moved many times and unfortunately I have no idea where the recipe might be. There are many highly rated buttermilk sugar cookie recipes online.

deee, you reminded me of this recipe, which was also pretty good, although I still like the buttery shortbread type best.

Ultimate Sugar Cookie

1 1/4 cups white sugar

1 cup butter flavored shortening

2 eggs

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Beat sugar and shortening at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, syrup and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add combined dry ingredients at low speed. Mix until well blended.
2. Refrigerate dough 1 hour.
3. Roll out dough between two sheets of lightly floured wax paper. Cut out with floured cutter.
4. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 5-9 minutes, depending on size and thickness of cookies. Do not overbake. Cool 2 minutes, then remove from cookie sheets to cool.

Annie

Thanks for the explanation, Malna. It makes perfect sense, now.

Sally

I always use Nancy's Cream Cheese cookie recipe-- cookies stay nice & tender no matter how you're rerolling scraps.
Diane

Diane's Home Cookin Chapter: Christmas Cookies

CREAM CHEESE COOKIES
====================
This Dough Is One That You Can Roll Thick, If You Like A Softer
Cutout still holds up.

1 ½ cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ tsp almond extract
3 ½ cup flour (I like unbleached)
1 teaspoon baking powder
. In a mixing bowl cream sugar, butter and cream cheese until
fluffy. Add egg and flavorings, beat smooth' Stir together the
flour and baking powder, add to creamed mixture and mix
thoroughly.

FOR CUT-OUT COOKIES Chill dough. Roll out on surface dusted with a
mixture of ½ powered sugar and ½ flour, ¼ to ½ inch thick
depending on your preference. Cut into desired shapes. Place on
ungreased cookie sheet ( I line with parchment paper) and bake in
a 375° oven 8-10 minutes. Watch for the edges to just barely begin
to brown if you like a moist cookie. Cool and frost.

COOKIE PRESS COOKIES

Divide dough into portions and add desired colors. Force through
cookie press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in a 375° oven
8-10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.
Before baking brush with slightly beaten egg white and sprinkle
with colored sprinkles if desired. Note...I have added about 4 oz
of almond paste to the dough when making the cookie press
cookies.....yum!

FAVORITE ICING FOR CUTOUT COOKIES

2 c powered sugar, sifted 2 Tbsp softened butter ¼ tsp vanilla ¼
tsp almond extract 1 egg white ¼ C milk or cream

Combine egg white and milk, set aside. Beat together powered
sugar, butter and flavorings. Add small amounts of the milk
mixture until icing is spreading consistency. Tint with desired
colors. Using the egg white will give you a nice finish on the
icing, the butter will keep it soft on the inside.

Nancy