Sugar Cookies...revised

I love soft sugar cookies.  There is something so heavenly and lovely about biting into a soft, light cookie with a smear of butter cream.  If there is a heaven, and I'm 100% sure there is, then I will be living in eternity eating sugar cookies..dramatic?  You bet, I love sugar cookies. Dare I say even more than I love cupcakes? *gasp* My mother in law introduced me to this recipe, and I have loved making it.  I tried making these using them with butter instead of shortening, my shortening had red sprinkles in it.  I liked the recipe either way.  So, which ever way is your fancy, try it, love it, and thank me later!

Soft Sugar Cookies
1 cup softened butter or shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 cup milk plus 1 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt (which I always forget to add)
5-7 cups all purpose flour

In a small bowl combine milk and vinegar and set aside.  In your mixer using your paddle attachment cream together your butter or shortening and sugar until light and fluffy about 2 to three minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, scrape down sides as needed.  Add in the milk and vanilla and mix until well incorporated   It will look a  little separated at this point, don't worry.  Add in the baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix.  Start adding in the flour one cup at a time.  This dough will be fairly soft still around the fifth cup.  Sprinkle your counter or wherever you plan on cutting out your cookies on generously with flour and place the dough on top.  Start kneading in at least another cup or two of flour, if the dough is too soft.  If you would like, you can chill the dough.  Or you can start rolling out your shapes. Keep the dough on the slightly thicker side, but you can go a little thinner, although i wouldn't suggest too thin unless you want a cracker.

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly spray your baking sheets with cooking spray.  Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes.  I would do less, but I like mine slightly on the doughier side.  Totally up to you.  Another trick I have heard about is to chill your shaped cookies in the fridge for a couple of minutes before baking so that your cookies keep their shape.  I haven't tried that yet, but you can.  I just use round shapes, because I'm not super fancy with frosting.  I like straight up butter cream and a few red hots on my cookies.  Or even candy corn at Halloween. Or just out of the oven, plain and steaming  fresh. WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR SUGAR COOKIE BOAT.