One Vanilla Dough Easter Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened but cool (227 g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
• 1 large egg, room temperature (50 g)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10 g)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (375 g)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (4 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g)
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted, for smooth icing (240 g)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons milk, for icing (45–60 g)

Instructions

1. Cream butter and sugar. Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium for two minutes, until smooth and slightly lightened. Beat in egg and vanilla, scraping bowl and beater once so no buttery pocket remains.
2. Whisk dry ingredients. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in another bowl. Add dry mixture to butter mixture in two additions on low speed, stopping when the last flour disappears. Press loose crumbs into dough with a spatula.
3. Chill dough. Split dough into two portions and pat each into a one-inch-thick disk. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350°F, position racks in upper and lower thirds, and line baking sheets with parchment.
4. Roll and shape. Roll one disk on a lightly floured surface to one-quarter-inch thick. Cut shapes and transfer them one inch apart to sheets. For rounds, scoop tablespoon portions, roll balls, and flatten lightly with a glass.
5. Bake and cool. Bake sheets, one at a time, for 9 to 11 minutes, until edges are set and bottoms are pale gold. Leave cookies on sheet five minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely before decorating.
6. Ice or finish. Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Tint as desired, then spread on cool cookies. Or brush raw cutouts with milk and sprinkle with sanding sugar before baking.

Notes

• Rolling scraps more than once incorporates extra flour and can make later cookies firmer. Keep the second pass for simple shapes, then bake those cookies together.
• To make thumbprints, roll chilled dough into balls, bake until set, cool, then fill shallow centers with jam or icing. Adding jam before baking can cause overflow.

Nutrition Facts