CUT OUT SUGAR COOKIES

Directions

• Cookie Dough
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually add dry ingredients; beat until combined. Divide dough in half. flatten into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic; freeze until firm, at least 20 minutes, or place in a resealable plastic bag, and freeze up to 3 months (thaw in refrigerator overnight before using).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove one dough disk from freezer; let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Roll out 1/8 inch thick between two sheets of lightly floured parchment paper, dusting dough lightly with flour as needed. Cut out shapes with lightly with floured cookies to prepared baking sheets. (If dough becomes soft, chill 10 minutes.) Re-roll scraps; cut more shapes. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, 10-18 minutes (depending on size of cookies.) Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely; decorate with white icing and other decorations, as desired.
• Icing (optional)
• Sift confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Whisk in 3 to 4 tablespoons milk, water or lemon juice. Add 1 tablespoon at a time, until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If too thin, thick in more sugar; if too thick, add more liquid.
• Spread over cookies with back of a spoon or use a piping bag with a small tip. Add decorations, if desired. Let the icing harden, about 20 minutes.