Brown Sugar Butter Cookies

These cookies aren't very glam, but they are full of buttery, sugary love.

Yesterday morning at 7 a.m., I was barely awake when my cell phone rang. It was my sister-in-law from Maryland calling because her son, my nephew, had an awful sore throat and had coughed up some blood. Sean is a sophomore at Ohio State so he is, unfortunately, 450 miles away from his mother. I, on the other hand, am just a quick 20 minute drive away.

I had a conversation with Sean (via texting to spare his sore throat) and told him where he needed to go and when to get a strep test. Once I was certain he had a plan of action, and once I had a full cup of coffee in me, I got my chopping knife out, an onion, celery and carrots and went to work on some chicken soup. While the soup was bubbling, I got busy on some cookie dough. I just can't send a CARE package without fresh baked cookies.

Not having been to the store for a real shop over the weekend, I was low on granulated sugar and eggs (I know, what kind of baker am I?), so I pulled together what I had, and made some Brown Sugar Butter Cookies -- a new invention {wink}

When the cookies were baked and the soup seasoned just right, I packed it all up, with some fresh apples and oranges, tea bags and honey sticks, and stopped at the store for Advil, a thermometer, Luden's cherry throat drops, some potato chips and saltines (salty food is good for sore throats!), white grape juice and anything else that looked good. Then I headed to Ohio State to drop off my CARE package.

Today he texted me "The cookies are awesome!" and that was absolutely the only thanks I needed (he did have strep, just in case you were wondering). My own kids loved them, too, as an unexpected after-school treat. They are a crisp-chewy cookie (baked at the longer time), with a buttery, "caramely" good flavor.

Brown Sugar Butter Cookies

makes about 3 dozen

1 c. butter, softened

1 1/4 c. brown sugar, packed

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 egg

1 1/2 t. vanilla extract

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

turbinado sugar for dipping (about 3 T.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; line cookie sheet with parchment for easy cleanup.

In a mixing bowl,

beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium high speed

for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar, baking soda, and salt; beat until mixed.

Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.

Add the flour and mix until combined.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls; dip one half of the cookie in the turbinado sugar and place sugar side up on cookie sheets.

Place 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown (use the longer time for crisp-chewy and the shorter time for soft-chewy).

Remove the cookies and cool completely on a wire rack.

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