The Cookie Trinity

Nothing is more divine than the combination of butter, sugar and vanilla. I contemplated the perfection of this trinity as I made batches of cookie dough for the upcoming church bazaar. These cookies are simple and delicious so I thought I would share the recipe found in Canadian Living's special "101 Holiday Cookies" issue.

Vanilla Sugar Cookies from Canadian Living's 101 Holiday Cookies
Yield: about 36 cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup (175 mL) salted butter, softened
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla, or half vanilla bean
1 egg
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder
pinch salt

Directions:
1. In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; set aside.
2. Slit vanilla bean lengthwise. Lay, cut side up, on board; scrape out seeds and mash seeds into butter mixture (or, do as I do and simply pour in a teaspoon of vanilla). Beat in egg.
3. In separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt; stir into butter mixture in 3 additions, stirring after each. Divide in half and flatten into discs; wrap each and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. On lightly floured surface, roll out each disc to 1/4-inch (5 mm) thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut out shapes. Place, 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
5. Bake in 350F (180C) oven until light golden on bottoms and edges, about 10 minutes. Let cool on pans on racks for 1 minute; transfer to racks and let cool completely.

Royal icing recipe to follow. Stay tuned.