Spooky Sugar Cookies

This is my favorite sugar cookie.  Thick and soft is how we like them at our house, and these fit the bill.  This time of year, I like to make bats and ghosts.  That way, I only have to make two colors of icing; black and white.  And if I don't feel like piping eyes, we just use mini chocolate chips (white and chocolate) for the eyes.  To get the black frosting for the bats, you need to get the food color that comes in a gel or paste.  I got it at my local craft store, but anywhere that sells cake decorating supplies should have it.  When we lived in a smaller town with no such store, I just asked them at the bakery of the local grocery store if they would sell me some, and they gave it to me for free!  The black has a great effect on the tongue, especially for parties!
Soft Sugar Cookies
1 cup sour cream
1 cup butter
3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
4 cups flour
Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and flavoring and mix well.  Mix flour, salt and baking powder in another bowl.  Add sour cream and flour mixture alternating until fully mixed together.  Chill for one hour.  Roll out ( I usually roll them to just under a 1/2 inch thickness) and cut into desired shapes.  Bake at 425 for 5 - 7 minutes.  Frost with desired frosting.  (Our favorite is cream cheese frosting!)