An all-butter recipe is definitely preferred for flavor, but it can present some challenges, as Grainlady's comments indicate. There was a wonderful old thread about the perfect cut-out cookie, but it dropped off some time ago. However, I have found a similar thread on Recipe Exchange that you might find helpful. It's linked below. You'll see a range of choices, from all-butter to butter and shortening and even cream cheese. But all are forum favorites. Also, I know Annie has often posted her T&T sugar cookie recipe. "Here is the recipe that I have used for years for my Holiday cut-out cookies as it has never failed me. Deluxe Sugar Cookies From The Betty Crocker Cookbook, 1975 edition 1 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 cups confectionerâÂÂs sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cream of tartar Mix thoroughly butter, confectionerâÂÂs sugar, egg, vanilla and almond extract. Blend in flour, soda and cream of tartar. Cover; chill 2 to 3 hours. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out dough and cut into desired shapes. Place on lightly greased baking sheets (I now use parchment paper). Bake 7-8 minutes (more or less, depending on size of cookies) until light brown on edge. Here is my tip for this recipe that I have always done to make rolling easier. When I make the dough I leave out a 1/4 cup of the flour. When I roll out the dough I use a little extra flour so the cookies roll out easier and the added flour does not ruin the cookies. Somehow they always turn out perfect and my family loves them. Of course I think they like the icing on the cookies too LOL. All I use is a basic confectionerâÂÂs sugar, vanilla, butter and heavy cream mixture that my Grandmother always used." Carol Here is a link that might be useful: The Right Sugar Cookie Recipe

In any recipe, you can substitute Splenda brown sugar mix or Splenda Baking mix for the sugar. This is because these two mixes are half sugar, and that is enough that the structural role the sugar plays in the recipe is not affected. But that also means that the cookies are half sugar, and not as good for a diabetic. (like me). In a recipe where the sugar is more than just flavoring, it combines with the butter and eggs to form a stable structure. The sugar crystals make the framework that keeps the other ingredients lifted. So when a cake rises, it stays risen. When you use splenda in a recipe where sugar is needed for the structure, then the structure is not stable and the cake or cookie deflates to a dense pancake. So you have to look for a recipe where the sugar isn't really needed for structure. Most cakes won't work with splenda alone, but there are a few exceptions: look for other ingredients to give structure - like zucchini bread, or carrot cake. Veggies have fiber and give structure. In a cookie, you look for one that doesn't spread or rise very much. Like shortbread. Spritz cookies also work well. or Peanut butter, because the nuts have some structure (so chunky would be better). Cream cheese is also a good structure giving ingredient. this means that polish Kolacky is a good sugar free candidate. What doesn't work well are any kind of drop cookie like chocolate chip cookies. Also, commercially bought sugar-free chocolate bars can be used to make chocolate covered things. Like pretzels. Or to drizzel over your shortcake or other cookies. And sugar free jams are commercially available, so Thumb Print cookies are good too. And Oatmeal bars with raspberry jam. Etc. This way you can use your own favorite family recipes but make them sugar free. Hope this helps eveyone adapt their recipes to sugar free! Susan

I prefer rimless, shiny aluminum pans for cookies (I use almost 30-year old Rema Bakeware insulated pans - invented by a friend of mine, Margaret Logan). I use rimmed pans (insulated and non-insulated) for many other things, but not cookies. In fact, I have 3 different sizes of each of these pans to accommodate different uses and recipes. Avoid extremely thin pans because they seem to be the #1 reason for burned cookie bottoms and under-baked tops. Tip: if you already have thin pans, you can put 2 sheets together (one on top of the other and only bake on the top sheet) for added insulation if you tend to get burned cookie bottoms. Dark nonstick pans (such as Wearever) are also popular, but not without some changes to your finished cookies. Cookies baked on dark nonstick pans can be smaller than those baked on shiny aluminum. The cookie may be more rounded, tops and bottoms more browned - especially the bottoms. Bottoms of cookies may also be harder than using shiny aluminum pans. I've judged so many cookies at fairs over the years, I can tell you which kind of pan was used for baking. To me, there IS a huge amount of difference. Black surfaced pans bake faster because the dark color absorbs heat. The diameter of the cookies may be smaller and the cookie shape be more rounded. Choose cookie sheets that are at least 2-inches narrower and shorter than the inside dimensions of the oven, so the heat will circulate around them. I also suggest having at least 3 identical sheets (4 is even better - especially if you have a convection oven and bake more than one sheet of cookies at a time) , so you always have a cool sheet to load, and all the sheets will bake the same since they are the same. I nearly always line my pans with parchment paper, if for no other reason it makes clean-up so simple. There are a few cookies that are best baked on the sheet without parchment. I bought a lifetime supply of parchment paper from a restaurant supply store, and I cut each sheet in half for my pans. I reuse it for one baking session or day of baking, especially when making cookies. Otherwise, it gets tossed into the trash when I done with a baking session. -Grainlady

Well, a little late but here is an outstanding oatmeal cookie recipe. In fact, my son says I should quit my design job and sell these on the street if I really want to be a success. And when dh took some to work with him one of his colleagues who tried them immediately proposed marriage to me. When dh pointed out that I was already married to HIM, his colleague said, "Yeah, but you gotta die sometime!" Oatmeal Cookies 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 1/2 cup butter (don't use all butter or the cookies will be too soft and spread all over) 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup white granulated sugar 2 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (NOT artificial) 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (this is the secret!) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans Beat the shortening, sugar, and brown sugar in a mixer bowl until creamy, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well. Combine the flour, soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in another bowl and mix well. Add to the creamed mixture gradually, mixing well after each addition. Fold in the oats and pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls (I use a mini ice cream type scoop so they will be uniform) onto a baking stone (Pampered Chef or similar) or a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or til light brown. The time will depend on your particular oven. The trick is to get the cookies barely done but not so well done that they are no longer chewy. When cookies come from the oven they should be light brown and look a little bit shiny and wet in places. It should be almost impossible to remove them from the baking sheet immediately from the oven so cool the cookies on the stone or cookie sheet for 2 minutes. During that time they continue to cook a little and become firm enough to remove but they will still be very soft. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely. When the cookies cool they will be delicately crispy on the outside but chewy on the inside. Makes about 3 dozen....and your reputation!