Vanilla Almond Sugar Cookies

I love a good sugar cookie. I have not had much success in being the creator of said "good" sugar cookie. I roll them too thin. I bake them too long. I break them. I don't know how to frost them.

But I have officially discovered my favorite sugar cookie recipe AND it's super simple. (I will be tackling the royal icing in the near future.)

A couple of my favorite things about these cookies are:

1. the butter can (and should) be used straight from the fridge.

2. the batter does not need to be refrigerated..

3. the almond extract makes these distinct from all other sugar cookies.

Vanilla-Almond Sugar Cookies

adapted from Bake at 350
makes 3-1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, cold

1 egg

3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp pure almond extract

Directions

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 onto a floured surface. (A silicone baking mat is amazing for rolling out cookies.) Dough should be at least 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes. (Dig the cookie cutter into flour before each use to keep dough from sticking.)   

Place on baking sheets and bake for 8-10  minutes. Let sit a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.