A staple in many households, the classic sugar cookie embodies Christmas spirit. Its sugary goodness in every bite brings smiles to so many students here at the Park. 

“Something about it being unhealthy makes it so good,” said Jonathan McKay, senior at Salem High School.

When it comes to sugar cookies, there can be a lot of different varieties. Teagan George, a senior at Plymouth High School, said her favorites are, “those sugar cookies that you get from Meijer with Santa on them.”

“For me it’s got to be the sugar globs is what I like to call them. Those sugar cookies, the soft white dough with a bunch of frosting on them. It’s like the only time of the year I eat them. And I just binge eat those. They are so good,” said McKay.

Elyse Wiacek, a junior at Salem High School, has a similar take on the festive treat. 

“I am a big fan of just the traditional sugar cookie. It’s my favorite because my family has always had the tradition of making our own Christmas sugar cookies a week before Christmas that we will lay out for Santa,” Wiacek said. 

Given that sugar cookies are the ultimate favorite, what exact recipe is the best? I decided to  further investigate by trying out three different recipes.

The first recipe I tried was “Easy Sugar Cookies” from Allrecipes.com. True to the name, these cookies were easy to bake with quick, scrumptious results. I poured all the ingredients into the mixing bowl then rolled each cookie into a tablespoon sized ball.

I took advice from the Food Network for my second sugar cookie recipe. For this recipe, it called for me to mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, then roll out the dough. Unlike the “Easy Sugar Cookies,” this recipe came out of the oven a bit crispier, making them easy to frost and decorate. 

With one more recipe to try, I found “The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe” from Two Sisters, a baking site that specializes in holiday-themed treats. This recipe called for me to chill the dough before rolling them out and baking them. Compared to the other cookies I baked, Two Sisters’ cookies were much larger and denser. 

With three cookie recipes to share, it was time for the big taste test from students at the Park. In the end, the winning cookie results were unanimous. 

“Number 1 [Allrecipes.com] had a fresh, homemade taste and softness to it. It tasted real, unlike some store-bought cookies,” said Gavin French, a senior at Salem High School.

Heather McCorkle, a senior at Salem High School, chose Allrecipes.com because of the nostalgia the cookies brought. 

“It reminded me of the Christmas cookies I’d made with my sister when we were younger,” McCorkle said. 

Wiacek thought the first recipe satisfied her sweet tooth to the max. 

“I really liked the soft texture and flavor filled bites,” said Wiacek. 

Elizabeth Silva, a senior at Plymouth High School, couldn’t help agreeing. 

“I love how the first cookie had more of a buttery and soft taste,” Silva said. 

Ultimately, the sugar cookie is a yuletide tradition loved by everyone. However, the sugar cookie from Allrecipes.com is so good they won’t even make it to Santa’s plate.