Cut Out Cookies

 

Obviously, I used valentine's cookie cutters, but these would be great Chrismas cookies too.

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 c. flour (all purpose flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time incorporating each. Add vanilla.

In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Mix thoroughly (I use a whisk to do this).

Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet.

When nicely mixed, flop the mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten it down into a disc, wrap it up and put it in the refrigerator for at least an hour. You can leave it overnight if you like.

When it's time to bake the cookies, remove the dough from the fridge. If it's too hard to roll out let it sit for a half hour or so. Cut the disc in half.

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare your cookie sheets by covering the bottom with parchment paper.

Lightly sprinkle a surface with flour, then roll out the first half of the dough. It should be about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out the cookies and place them on the sheets. These don't really expand very much so 1/2 inch or so apart will be fine.

Bake for 8 to 12 minutes depending on how large your cookies are. They should get slightly browned around the edge, but still be nice and pale in the middle.

Cool on a rack. Ice after they've cooled.

You can make the icing by mixing 2 or 3 Tblsp. of very hot water with 1 cup of sifted confectioner's sugar. Or, you can buy white icing pre-made. Either way, use food coloring to make the colors you like.