In the summer of 1980, I was at my family’s summer place in Maine one rainy weekend and I’d just gotten a hold of a copy of Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews. It was quite a sensation at the time and I certainly couldn’t put it down.
Well, I did put it down once and my brother’s girlfriend’s friend who was staying with us that weekend snatched my copy, curious to know what I found so fascinating. I had to ask for the book back several times before finally resorting to forcibly pulling it from her covetous grasp and then hiding it away—much like the Dollanganger children themselves.
In the course of the story, the grandmother tries starving the children when she’s not emotionally abusing them. Other times, she brings picnic baskets up to the attic filled with sandwiches, fried chicken, bowls of potato salad, and occasionally cookies.
And sometimes, no cookies. Whatever other wisdom Flowers might impart, I think it all comes down to one thing: As the eldest Dollanganger sibling Cathy points out, “Lunch without cookies was an abysmal thing.”
Amen, sister.
Sugar Cookies
Adapted from southernliving.com
Adapted from southernliving.com
(My suggestions in italics)
Makes two dozen cookies (I ended up with four dozen 2 1/2" round cookies)
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
Directions
Step 1. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
Step 2. Beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract; beat until combined. Gradually add flour mixture; beat on low speed until smooth.
Step 3. Divide dough in two and shape into disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill.
Step 4. Preheat oven. Roll one disk at a time on lightly-floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into chosen shapes and space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate to help cookies keep their shape.
Step 5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 375°F, rotating halfway through baking. (Took my oven more like 20 minutes to bake!) Cool on racks. Repeat process with remaining dough.
Makes two dozen cookies (I ended up with four dozen 2 1/2" round cookies)
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
Directions
Step 1. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
Step 2. Beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract; beat until combined. Gradually add flour mixture; beat on low speed until smooth.
Step 3. Divide dough in two and shape into disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill.
Step 4. Preheat oven. Roll one disk at a time on lightly-floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into chosen shapes and space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate to help cookies keep their shape.
Step 5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 375°F, rotating halfway through baking. (Took my oven more like 20 minutes to bake!) Cool on racks. Repeat process with remaining dough.
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