Very Basic Sugar Cookie

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup sugar

1 large egg

¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

frosting and nonpareilis for decorating

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth, about two minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. On low-speed, beat in flour mixture until just combined. Divide dough in half and form each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Heat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk to order inch thickness. Using a 2 inch tree shaped cookie cutter, cut out shapes. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes and tell lightly golden around the edges. Remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining half of dough gather scraps and refrigerate reroll and cut into additional trees. Bake in cool as above. Decorate the frosting and nonpareilis when dry cookies may be stored in an airtight container up to two weeks.

makes three dozen