Ingredients:

  • 3 cups All-Purpose Flour (360 g), spooned and levelled
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 1 cup Unsalted Butter (2 sticks, 226 g), softened, room temperature
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar (200 g)
  • 2 Large Eggs (approx. 100g), room temperature
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract (10 mL)

Instructions:

  1. Prep the Oven and Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light, fluffy, and visibly pale (about 3–4 minutes). This is crucial for aeration and texture.
  4. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the vanilla extract.
  5. Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture until just combined. Stop mixing immediately once no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cookies tough.
  6. Chill the Dough (Crucial Step): Divide the dough into two equal portions. Form each into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of 60 minutes (up to 2 days). A flat disc cools faster and makes rolling easier.
  7. Roll the Dough: Remove one disc from the fridge. Lightly flour your work surface, rolling pin, and the dough itself. Roll the dough out to an even thickness of 1/4 inch (6 mm).
  8. Cut Shapes: Use your cutters to cut shapes cleanly. Reroll the scraps only once or twice; dough that is rolled repeatedly will become tough.
  9. Arrange and Bake: Place the cut-out cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space between them. For optimal shape retention, place the trays back in the fridge for 5–10 minutes while the oven finishes heating.
  10. Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through. The cookies are done when the edges are set and just starting to turn a pale golden-brown. They should still look very pale in the centre.
  11. Cool: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Do not attempt to decorate until they are thoroughly cooled.