Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups (450 g) all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 sticks (226 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) white granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Then add the salt, whisk to combine and set aside.
- In a small bowl or glass, beat the egg with the vanilla extract and set aside.
- 3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and the white sugar until the mixture is fluffy and a yellow pale color, about 5 minutes. Make sure to scrape the bowl with a spatula to combine it well. Then slowly add the egg and vanilla mixture and keep whisking until it is well combined.
- Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and start mixing on low speed. Add the second 1/3 and mix again. Then, add the last 1/3 of the flour and mix one last time. Make sure to scrape off the bowl after you add the last batch of flour. Then, knead the dough with your hands inside the bowl for about 30-60 seconds. Wrap it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-8 hours.
- Pre-heat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
- Take the dough out of the fridge and divide it in half. Roll out ½ of the dough between two pieces of parchment paper into about ¼ inch (6.3 mm) thick. Use rolling guides on both sides of the dough to make sure it is the same size. The rolling guides can be two clean painter sticks. Run an offset spatula under the dough to loosen it. Cut out your cookies and place them one inch (2.5 cm) apart from one another on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Store the cookies in the refrigerator for 15 minutes and then bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Take the cookies out of the oven and let them rest on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a cooling rack to let them cool completely before decorating. You can store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
A light colored baking sheet will prevent the cookies from browning underneath.