Swig-let Sugar Cookies

5½ cup + 2 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp., baking soda

½ tsp. cream of tarter

1 cup butter, room temperature

¾ cup canola or vegetable oil

1¼ cup sugar

¾ cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. water

2 eggs, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°. In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Set aside.

Cream butter: blend in the sugars together for 2 minutes, slowly stream in the oil while beating. Add the water and vanilla and then beat in the eggs one at a time until combined.

Add the flour mixture ½ a cup at a time, mixing until combined.  Use 1½ inch scoop and place dough on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Place ¼ cup sugar in a small dish with a pinch of salt. Take a glass and dip it into sugar. Press the glass into a ball of dough until it is ½ inch thick (the dough will form a jagged edge and spill past the edge of the glass). Repeat the process of dipping the glass into sugar and pressing it into a ball of dough.

Bake for 7 minutes only. Gently remove cookies from pan onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely. Place them in an air tight container in the fridge.

Frosting:

¼ cup solid vegetable shortening

¼ cup (½ stick) butter or margarine softened

½ tsp. almond extract

2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately ½ lb.)

1 Tbsp. milk

Red food coloring (or whatever color you want)

In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.

Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.

Add milk and food coloring; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Spread over cold cookies and serve immediately or let the icing dry (it will dry to the touch) and then store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

The original recipes can be found here and here.  The original recipe called for a much larger cookie but I thought it was too big so I made them smaller. . . .here is a comparison: