Classic cut out sugar-cookies

I don’t know when I start collect the cookie cutter, but now I have about 100+ pieces of cookie cutter in my boxes, a lot, I don’t think so. You can easily fall in love with them, how can you resist a lovely flower, a dog, a bear, a butterfly and etc, I can’t get enough of them, but the good recipe for cut out cookie is the other thing, I had try many recipes and feel disappointed.

But this recipe is good enough to show you, because it’s so easy to work with and the taste is good too. The shape of the cookie is sharp (but the texture is not too hard), so you can play around with your cookie cutters. The only problem for me is I really don’t know which cookie cutters to use because all of them are so cute, may be I have to make more so I can use all of my cookie cutters.

Classic cut out sugar-cookies

MAKES ABOUT 4 DOZEN 2-INCH COOKIES

3 cups (300g)	sifted cake flour, spooned in and leveled
¼ tsp	baking powder
½ tsp	salt
1 cup (2 sticks / 225g)	unsalted butter, slightly firm
¾ cup (150g)	superfine sugar
1	egg
1½ tsp	pure vanilla extract
1	large egg white, lightly beaten with 2 teaspoons of water
	Sparkling white sugar, pearl sugar, or sanding sugar, for sprinkling

1. Strain together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. In the large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar on medium-low speed.

3. Using a fork, beat the egg and vanilla together and mix into the butter-sugar mixture. Add the dry ingredients one-half at a time, mixing only until mixture begins to form a mass. Empty the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead four or five times, or just until smooth. Divide the dough into quarters. Using lightly floured hands, shape the dough into four disks. Dust lightly with flour and wrap each with plastic. Chill for at least 15 minutes.

Note: For anyone who live in tropical climate, don’t knead it, you should beat the dough until smooth in the bowl and place the dough in a wax paper before rolling it).

4. Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F.

5. On a lightly floured pastry cloth or board, working with one-fourth of the dough at a time, roll the dough to a 3/16 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. After cut ting, transfer the cookies to a sheet of wax paper. Brush the tops lightly with egg wash and sprinkle evenly with sparkling white sugar, pearl sugar, or sanding sugar. Carefully place on cookie sheets.

6. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. To ensure even browning, toward the end of baking time rotate the sheets from top to bottom and front to back. Let stand on pans for 1 or 2 minutes. With a thin metal spatula, remove to cooling racks.