Step 1
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Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. |
Step 2
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In a bowl for stand mixer, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. |
Step 3
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Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in the flour mixture. Turn out dough, and divide in half. Flatten each half into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight. |
Step 4
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Let one disk of dough stand at room temperature just until soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes. |
Step 5
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Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface to just under 1/4 inch thick, adding more flour as needed to keep dough from sticking. Cut out cookies using desired cutters. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets as you work. Roll out scraps, and repeat once. Cookies cut from scraps repeatedly reworked get tough. |
Step 6
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Bake cookies until edges turn golden, about 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. |
Step 7
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Repeat cutting out and baking with second disk. Decorate cookies with icing once completely cooled. Makes about 2 dozen cookies. |