Perfect Every Time Cut-Out Cookies

If you're looking for a cut-out sugar cookie recipe for your holiday baking, birthday parties, baby showers, wedding favors, you name it...you've found it.

This is my all-time, go-to, never-fail, made thousands-of-'em sugar cookie recipe for decorating.

• It requires NO CHILLING!
• The dough can be frozen!
• The baked cookies can be frozen!
• The decorated cookies can be frozen!
• And more importantly, it's yummy.

More info on freezing cookies here.

Decorating with kids?  Gotcha covered.

Need royal icing.  Got that, too.

Looking for gingerbread?  Here ya go.

Perfect Every Time Cut-Out Cookies

3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 c sugar (I use sugar that I've stored vanilla beans in)
2 sticks (salted) butter, cold & cut into chunks
1 egg
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extracts and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.

The dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl for rolling.

Roll on a floured surface to about 1/4" to 3/8" thick, and cut into shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets (I recommend freezing the cut out shapes on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before baking) and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let sit a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Go forth and BAKE, my friends.