Sugar Cookie Cutouts

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat to combine. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until just combined.

   Step 2

   Divide dough in half; flatten each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or overnight). Dough can be frozen, wrapped tightly in plastic and placed in a resealable plastic bag, up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

   Step 3

   Let one disk of dough stand at room temperature until soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface (or a piece of parchment paper), roll out dough to just under 1/4 inch thick, adding more flour as needed to keep dough from sticking. Transfer to a baking sheet; freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

   Step 4

   Preheat oven to 350°F, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, quickly cut out shapes from dough (if dough begins to soften, chill in freezer 5 minutes), and transfer shapes to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart, as you work. Reroll scraps and cut out more shapes. Brush off excess flour. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.

   Step 5

   Bake until edges turn golden, 15 to 18 minutes, firmly tapping down sheets once and rotating them halfway through. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks before decorating as desired. Cookies can be stored up to 1 week at room temperature in an airtight container.