SUGAR COOKIES

Makes 3 dozen 3" cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 cups unsalted butter, softened 2 cups granulated sugar 2 large eggs (cold) 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 6 cups all-purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until pale yellow in color, approximately 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

2. Beat in the eggs. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the salt and vanilla and mix on low speed until combined.

3. Add the flour on low speed until well combined. When the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl, it's ready. Note: If using a hand mixer, the dough may become too heavy to handle and mix. Mix the butter, sugar, eggs, salt and vanilla as per steps 1 and 2. Then, manually knead in the flour until mixed well.

4. Separate the dough into two equal-size balls.

5. Place one ball on a sheet of parchment paper and place two 1/4" dowels on either side, about 2" away from the edges. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough.

6. Roll out the dough, using a straight rolling pin, making sure that you're rolling over the dough and the dowels. This will ensure you roll out an even slab of dough. 7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 with the second ball of dough.

8. Slide the dough with both parchment sheets onto a flat board, place it inside a large zip-top bag, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to overnight. The dough should be chilled prior to cutting.

9. Remove the chilled dough from the bag and cut shapes with cookie cutters. If using plastic cutters, wait a few minutes before cutting the shapes as the dough may be too hard and could damage the cutters.

10. With a cookie spatula, transfer the cut cookies to a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Leave at least 11/2" of space between each cookie. Optional: Place the filled baking sheet in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading.

11. While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F.

12. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake 14 to 16 minutes, or until the cookie edges turn golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and leave on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.