Chewy Sugar Cookies

Ah, time for Christmas cookies...:) Too bad I'm posting this a week later! These were exactly what I was looking for - I never made sugar cookies (well, in my adult years anyway) so I wanted to try them out. These did flatten out more than I expected, but they were still very chewy and delicious! This recipe makes A LOT of cookies. It says it yields 30, but I must have made my cookies smaller. I had to have my husband bring some into work because I could not have these lying around the house!

Adapted from: www.allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups margarine
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup white sugar for decoration


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until just blended. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls and roll the balls in remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets and flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned at the edges. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.