This dough can be frozen for up to 3 months and you can make variations with chocolate chips, oatmeal coconut, peanut butter, nuts or fruit.
Original recipe makes 5 1/2 dozen
Ingredients
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Mix shortening, butter or margarine, sugars, eggs and vanilla thoroughly. Stir in all purpose or unbleached flour, baking soda and salt.
- Turn dough onto lightly floured board. Shape dough into ball with lightly floured hands, pressing to make dough compact. Cut dough in half.
- Shape each half into a roll 2 inches in diameter and about 8 inches long by gently rolling dough back and forth on floured board. Roll dough onto plastic wrap: wrap and twist ends tightly. Dough can be refrigerated up to 1 month or frozen up to 3 months.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Cut roll into 1/4-inch slices. (It is not necessary to thaw frozen dough before slicing.) Place slices about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 9 to 11 minutes. Immediately remove cookies from baking sheet onto wire rack.
- CHOCOLATE CHIP: Add 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped nuts with the flour. OATMEAL-COCONUT: Reduce flour to 2 3/4 cups. Add 1 cup flaked coconut and 1 cup quick-cooking oats with the flour. PEANUT BUTTER: Add 1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter with the shortening. CHOCOLATE-NUT: Add 1 cup chopped nuts and 1/2 cup cocoa with the flour. FRUIT SLICES: Add 1 cup whole candied cherries, 1/2 cup chopped nuts and 1/2 cup cut-up mixed candied fruit with the flour.
Nutrition
Calories: 185 kcal
Carbohydrates: 24.3 g
Cholesterol: 25 mg
Fat: 9.1 g
Fiber: 0.4 g
Protein: 1.9 g
Sodium: 156 mg