This sugar cookie recipe is a family favorite at Christmas

Baking this sugar cookie recipe is one of the best things about the Christmas season. My family always enjoys getting together and cranking out as many as possible. This year, Hubby will be delivering this sugar cookie recipe to people in the community and possibly local law enforcement.

I think that the recipe below is one of the best sugar cookie recipes that we've found. People who receive them frequently ask for the cookie recipe I use. It's too good not to share so that's why I'm adding it to Youve Been Reviewed.

This cookie recipe travels well. It is perfect for taking to Grandma's, the office Christmas party or on your family vacation. If you want munchies for a road trip this is a great recipe to take with you.

Variations only make the recipe better. Adding chocolate chips or peppermint pieces is done at the end of the mixing process right before the balls are dropped onto the baking sheet.

Our favorite cookie recipe is:

• 1 cup butter or stick margarine
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups white confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar. (This is used to roll the sugar cookie dough in before baking.)

Directions

• Preheat oven 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter, oil, confectioners' sugar, and 1 cup white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, and stir in the vanilla. 
• Combine flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar in another bowl. Slowly stir this into the creamed mixture. Roll the cookie dough into 1 inch balls, and then roll the balls in the remaining granulated sugar. Place the balls onto ungreased cookie sheets. 
• Flatten the unbaked sugar cookies with a fork.
• Bake for 9 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the sugar cookie edges start browning. Cool on wire racks.
• Enjoy

Sugar cookie baking tips:

• No racks? Place several paper towels on a clean bath towel. It takes a little longer for this sugar cookie recipe to cool on the towels but is a workable substitute for the wire racks.
• For a richer flavor, French Vanilla can be used in the recipe instead of regular vanilla.
• You can add any extra ingredients such as chocolate chips, walnuts or pecans to the recipe. Just add the right before you put the cookie dough onto the baking sheet. This is a quick way to change the recipe to make different types of cookies.
• If you are using a scoop for the dough you won't have to roll it. Just flatten each ball with a fork before baking.

I don't have pictures from this recipe just yet. However; we're going to have our annual holiday bake-a-thon tonight so there will be plenty of photos to come later.

Keep your eye on the prize when you make this sugar cookie recipe. There's an excellent chance that some of the sugar cookies may disappear. All you have to do is turn your back on this recipe and one cookie or all of them will be gone.