Ingredients:

  • 3 cups (360 grams) All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 teaspoons (10 grams) Baking Powder
  • ½ teaspoon (3 grams) Fine Sea Salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 grams) Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups (300 grams) Granulated Sugar
  • 1 large (50 grams) Large Egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) Pure Vanilla Extract
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) Almond Extract (Optional)
  • 2 cups (240g) Icing/Confectioner’s Sugar (For Glaze)
  • 3–4 tablespoons (45–60 ml) Milk (whole or skim) (For Glaze)
  • ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) Vanilla Extract (For Glaze)

Instructions:

  1. Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy (approximately 3–5 minutes).
  3. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, followed by the vanilla and almond extracts, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix until just combined.
  4. Incorporate Flour: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing only until the flour is just incorporated and a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
  5. Divide and Flatten: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal discs. Flatten each disc into a rough 1-inch thick patty, wrap tightly in cling film (saran wrap).
  6. Chill the Dough (Crucial Step): Refrigerate the wrapped dough discs for a minimum of 60 minutes, or up to 2 days. This firms the fat, which is the key to preventing cookie spread during baking.
  7. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Roll the Dough: On a lightly floured surface (or between two sheets of parchment paper), roll out one chilled dough disc to a uniform thickness of ¼ inch (6mm).
  9. Cut Shapes: Use your chosen cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Gather the scraps, gently re-form a disc, and chill for 10 minutes before re-rolling.
  10. Arrange and Chill (Again): Place the cut cookies onto the prepared baking sheets. If your kitchen is warm, place the trays back into the freezer for 10 minutes before baking.
  11. Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through. The cookies are done when the edges are set and very lightly golden, but the centres remain pale.
  12. Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  13. Mix Glaze (Optional): Whisk together the icing sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Adjust consistency with small additions of milk or sugar.
  14. Decorate (Optional): Once the cookies are completely cold (absolutely no warmth remaining), apply the glaze or icing as desired. Allow the icing to set fully before storing.