Soft Cut-out Sugar Cookies

No photo.  Sorry about that.  Maybe I'll make them again for Valentine's Day or something...

1 cup margarine
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

 

1.  Cream the margarine and add the sugar gradually. Beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at time, mixing well after each addition.

 

2.  Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt gradually to the creamed mixture, stirring in by hand. Cover and chill dough overnight.

 

3.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

 

4.  Roll dough out on a floured surface to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick and cut into your favorite shapes. Place cookies onto the prepared baking sheets.

 

5.  Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 6 to 8 minutes or until cookie has a golden appearance.
 
THINGS I CHANGED:

• I don't believe I made them thick enough.  They were softer than the cookies I usually make, but they still weren't as soft as I would like. 

THINGS I LEARNED:

• The thickness of the dough is really important.  I am typically stingy with dough, and I tend to roll it out too thin in order to make more cookies.  I need to stop that.  My cookies would be softer if I made them thicker.
• Cookies soften themselves under royal icing.  While they weren't as soft as I would have liked the night we made them, after a night of being stored decorated, they were very soft and wonderful.  And the frosting wasn't rock hard; it was just right, too.

OVERALL OPINIONS:

• We had these at Christmas, and while I think my immediate family liked them the most, everyone seemed to enjoy them.  My goal in cut-out cookies is to be less stingy.