# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
05 - 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
06 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Rolling and Decorating
08 - Additional all-purpose flour, for rolling
09 - Royal icing, colored sugars, or sprinkles (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
02 - Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until fully combined.
03 - Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a soft dough forms.
05 - Divide the dough into two equal portions, flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough disk to a quarter-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.
08 - Place cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn golden.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
11 - Decorate cooled cookies with royal icing, colored sugars, or sprinkles as desired.
