Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • Royal icing (for decorating, homemade or store-bought)

Instruction

  • In a stand mixer (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), cream together butter and sugar. Mix until fluffy and well incorporated, about 1 minute.
  • Add egg, salt, and extracts. Mix until combined.
  • Add flour to the butter mixture in 3 additions, mixing until just combined after each addition. After the dough is all mixed it should be non-greasy to the touch.
  • Separate the dough into two or three balls and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
  • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Once the dough is chilled and hard to the touch, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness, cut out shapes, and place them on a parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking sheet. (If you feel the dough has gotten too soft once it has been rolled out you can chill it in the fridge some more.)
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven before the edges turn brown. Leave the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Then transfer cookies to a cooling rack for a few hours to cool completely before decorating. (These cookies can last several days on a wire rack so if you can't decorate them right away you don't need to worry!)