Basic Butter Cookies

Total Time: 4 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 4 hrs 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
• 2 beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer (preferably fitted with paddle attachment).
• 3 beat in egg and vanilla.
• 4 reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix until just combined.
• 5 form dough into a 12-inch log (2 inches in diameter) on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll up dough in plastic wrap.
• 6 chill dough on a baking sheet until firm, at least 4 hours.
• 7 put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees f.
• 8 cut the dough into rounds (1/8 to 1/4 depending on preference) and place on cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
• 9 if garnishing with coarse sugar, sprinkle slices with it.
• 10 bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes total.
• 11 cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely.