Holiday Sugar Cookies

recipe

• Step 1
  Bring the butter to room temperature. In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder & a pinch of salt. Stir together.
• Step 2
  In another bowl, add the sugar & softened butter. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer for about 3 min until light & fluffy.
• Step 3
  Add the vanilla extract & eggs. Beat until combined for about 2 min.
• Step 4
  Add the flour mixture in 2 batches. Mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will look crumbly.
• Step 5
  Transfer the dough to a clean work surface. Shape the dough into a disk & wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hr. You can also freeze this dough & use it on a later date!
• Step 6
  Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough. On a flour dusted work surface, lay the dough with a bit of flour on both sides. Gently roll out the dough into a thin sheet (about an 1/8 inch thick). Dust with more flour as needed, to prevent sticking!
• Step 7
  Using cookie cutters, cut out the desired shapes. Use a spatula to pick the cookies up from the work surface if needed. Place the cookies on a parchment paper lined sheet tray. Decorate with sprinkles (optional) or leave them plain. Bake for 15-18 min at 325ºF until the cookies are light golden brown on the bottom.
• Step 8
  Remove the cookies from the oven & place them on a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate with additional icing & sprinkles if desired. Enjoy!