Ingredients
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3 cups all-purpose flour
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1 tsp baking powder
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1/4 tsp salt
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1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
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1 cup sugar
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1 large egg
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2 tsp vanilla extract
Christmas Cutout
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assorted decorating icing tubes
Cocoa
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1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
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1 tsp instant espresso powder
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white chocolate chips, melted
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dark chocolate chips, melted
Thumbprint
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strawberry jam
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apricot jam
Snickerdoodles
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2 tsp and 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
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1/4 cup granulated sugar
Raspberry Linzer
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1 tsp seedless raspberry jam
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confectioners' sugar
Steps
1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar 2–3 min., until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix well. In batches, slowly add dry ingredients on low speed until combined.
3
Shape dough into cookies as desired. Arrange on cookie sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies 8–10 min., until golden, switching racks halfway through. Let cool slightly and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool fully.
Variation: Christmas Cutout
1
After dough is made, divide it into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate 2 hours, or until firm. Unwrap dough and roll out on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes, rerolling and cutting only 1 time. Bake as directed. Decorate with cookie icing when cool.
Variation: Cocoa
1
Decrease flour to 2 1/2 cups. To dry ingredients, add 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 tsp instant espresso powder. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Bake and cool as directed. Drizzle with melted white and/or dark chocolate.
Variation: Thumbprint
1
Shape dough into 1-inch balls and press a thumbprint in the middle. Fill with strawberry or apricot jam. Bake as directed.
Variation: Snickerdoodles
1
To dry ingredients, add 2 tsp ground cinnamon. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll into a mixture of 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 tbsp ground cinnamon. Space 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet and bake as desired.
Variation: Raspberry Linzer
1
Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Using cookie cutter, cut out scalloped circles. In centers of half the circle cookies, cut out small stars. Bake and cool as directed. Spread 1 tsp seedless raspberry jam on each solid circle and top with circles with star cutouts. Dust with confectioners' sugar.
