Sugar Cookies

I've never successfully made sugar cookies until today. I am quite pleased with how these turned out. They are soft to bite and firm to hold and decorate. I didn't decorate them because I am out of icing sugar. I imagine I could alter their flavour nicely with lemon or orange zest too. The biggest challenge was rolling the dough out with my toddler. She kept making finger prints, or half cookie cutter cuts. It was quite fun. And she was pleased to discover that this dough tastes a lot better than her play dough. You're supposed to chill the dough in the fridge for an hour; I never did this because I didn't read the recipe fully until now.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Place butter and sugar in bowl of electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy,a bout three minutes.
3. Add egg and continue beating. Add vanilla, salt, flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, until all mixed in and a nice ball of dough has formed.
4. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut desired shapes.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cookies are lightly golden around the edges.
6. Transfer to wire cooling rack and cool completely before decorating with icing.

Inspiration: Kuhn Rikon Cookie and Cupcake Decorating Set