Sugar Cookies

I have never made sugar cookies before. The recipe is from Complete childrens cookbook. It was chosen by kids interested in baking. Cookies is the best thing to begin baking with for kids. I got each kid to add an ingredient so they would feel that they were contributing to it. Some of them were big enough to read the measuring cups and spoons and tell me, how much was right. When the cookies baked, after dinner, was the right time for them to put the easy powdered sugar icing (does not use eggs) and the chocolate sprinkles. The cookie dough itself needed some more flour so it wouldnt stick while rolling. A friend suggested rolling them out a bit thicker, which gave them the coveted shortbread texture.
Some sugar cookie recipes seem to use baking soda and or baking powder. This book's didnt use that and was similar but half the quantity of Best sugar cookie recipe but it needed putting in fridge. It called for 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey, if skipped would that have avoided the extra flour correction? One of the kids did ask if the syrup was to make it sticky. My daughter liked playing with the dough more than keeping them in shape. She looked at the cookie cutters more like extraction that shaping tools. I dont have a processor, so thought this is the time to buy Pastry blender.

But then again I thought the normal blender would do too. But in the melee of kids helping me, I didnt read the instructions properly and insteading of pulsing just the flour and butter, we had added sugar too. eventually, spoon and hand did just fine job.