Giant Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

I have a serious lack of motivation today. It involves my school work. I spent the day on Thursday, observing a reference desk for 4 hours. Then I went back to the Natural History Museum and discussed a possible volunteer position cataloging the museums artifacts. Needless to say I am suffering from major brain overload. Also, the week before I went caving, got a new job and then went to class yet again. Pair that with a dead laptop, a knee that will not stop aching and a seriously messy house. I am overwhelmed.

So my solution? Bake and blog

Today's recipe comes from good ol' Martha Stewart. Now her cookies are hit and miss. She tends to add complicated ingredients or under-use flavor. The chocolate chip cookie recipe is gross. No flavor what-so-ever. Ick! However, her old fashion sugar cookie recipe is divine! This one uses vanilla beans and is a bit labor intensive. It is worth the work. The cookies are massive, chewy and have a nice crackled surface! Yum!

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

Preheat oven to 350

Ingredients:

3-cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of course salt

1 3/4 cup of granulated suga

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 vanilla beans, split and scraped

2 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter at room temp

2 large eggs

Fine sanding sugar

water for brushing

Directions:

1. Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together- set aside

2. Beat sugars and vanilla bean scrapings on med speed for 1 min. Add butter and beat another 3 min on med speed till light and fluffy.

3. Add eggs one at a time mixing well.

4. Reduce speed to low and slowly add the flour. Make sure it mixes all the way through.

5. Using a 2 inch ice cream scoop (3 tablespoons), drop cookies on a lined baking sheet. * If you do not have a scoop use a table spoon with 2-3 generous scoops. Round it in your hand an place it one the sheet*

6.Flatten the dough with your hand and sprinkle with sugar. Brush with water and sprinkle on more sugar.

7. Bake until slightly brown and the tops are a bit crinkled. 14-17 min. Mine took the full 17 and were still chewy in the center.

** Val additions- Since I cannot follow any directions! I added a about 2 tsps of finely grated lemon peel.

Enjoy!

VEB