SUGARBELLE'S PERFECT SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Cream together softened butter and confectioner's sugar. Crack the egg into a separate bowl, and add the flavoring. Add that to the butter sugar mixture and mix until the egg is thoroughly incorporated.
• 2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add little by little to the mixture. **You can tell the dough is ready when most of it sticks to the paddle. When you touch it, it has a little give, but does not stick to your fingers. The dough will stiffen up as it rests, so wait 5-10 minutes before working with it.**
• 3. Roll out on parchment to about 1/4 an inch thick, use flour for dusting as necessary. Then, cut your shapes. Remove the extra around your cookies and transfer your cookies on the parchment paper to a baking sheet.
• 4. Bake at 400 degrees for 7-8 minutes until tops appear dry rather than shiny. Do not brown. Freshy baked cookies will be slightly fragile. If you can, let them cool for 4+ hours before moving them into an airtight container.
• 5. About this recipe: -Day-old cookies make easier decorating . They are less likely to leach oil back into your icing if they have had a day or two to "dry out". They are still soft, however. -The dough DOES NOT need to be refrigerated. -Do NOT soften your butter in the microwave. Take it out of the fridge, and it will be ready in about 2-3 hours. Or cut it into smaller pieces, and it will be ready in about 30-45 minutes. -Baking times are approximate. Watch them the first few times you bake them. Do not over bake. If the cookies are browning you have gone too far. -Start with with 2 1/2 cups of flour. Add another 1/4 of a cup if the dough seems too sticky.
• 6. -The recipe doubles well. -This dough can be flavored any way you like. -The cookies freeze well. -This recipe does spread a little. If you don't like that add a little flour. -If you don't like salt, leave it out altogether. -If you only have salted butter, use that and reduce the salt.