Sugar cookies are an effort which can be made with one or many idle hands at work however there is a bit of an ease with a classic recipe such as this. Also, the focused creative decorating, wittling the afternoon away, may help to banish stress.
Roll-Out Sugar Cookies
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makes about 3 dozen
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and extracts.
In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, about 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition.
Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a ball. Do not chill dough. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a circle, approximately 12 inch wide and 1/8 inch thick. Using floured cookie cutters cut out desired shapes. Bake cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet for 7 to 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly golden brown. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
When cooled decorate with your favourite icing recipe or use ready made icing.
Hope everyone had a lovely weekend. Ours was chilly, with minus temperatures and minor snow flurries making it a bracing one and reminding us winter is on it's way. - JD
