KTKA

This recipe comes from Toba Garrett's book, Creative Cookies.

Butter Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter (no substitutes)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out dough

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a mixer paddle attachment for 2 minutes. Stop and scrape the bowl Cream the mixture for an additional 60 seconds. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Beat until well combined.

Sift together baking powder and flour. Add the flour mixture 1 cup at a time to the creamed butter mixture. Mix thoroughly after each addition. Blend in the last cup of flour by hand. The dough will be stiff.

Divide the dough into two balls. Wrap one ball in plastic wrap until ready to use. On a floured surface, roll out the other ball 1/4 inch thick. Use a large offset spatula to run under the dough to prevent it from sticking. Cut out the cookies with cookie cutters, dipping the cutters into flour before each use.

Carefully place the cut-out cookies onto an ungreased nonstick cookie sheet or or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to lightly brown. Let the cookies rest on the cookie sheet to cool slightly, then remove to a wire rack to cool.