American Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

Cookie

• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 220 g unsalted butter, slightly softened
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 cups premium flour + more as needed

Decoration

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• About 1 tbsp. milk
• Food coloring (optional)
• Colored sprinkles, candies, decorative sugar (optional)

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, beat the egg with vanilla extract.
   
   In a large bowl, beat the butter with a mixer until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, add the sugar and powdered sugar, and continue beating until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again if necessary, then add the egg mixture and beat for about 1 minute. Sift together the flour and salt. Reduce the mixer speed to low, then add the flour mixture and mix until the dough comes together, without over-beating.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl. Divide it in half and place each half between two sheets of lightly floured parchment or waxed paper. Roll the dough out to a thickness of about 0.5 cm. Place it directly on the parchment paper on a flat baking sheet or on the back of a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.
3. Evenly space oven racks and preheat to 325°F (160°C). Place 1 sheet of cookie dough on a clean work surface and remove the top sheet of parchment paper. Using a 4cm cookie cutter, cut out shapes directly on the parchment paper. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Repeat with the other sheet of dough. Gather any excess dough, roll it out again, and cut out shapes.
   
   Flavor options:
   
   Walnut and orange: add 3/4 teaspoon of grated orange zest along with the sugar, and 2/3 cup of finely chopped walnuts along with the flour.
   
   Pecan and cinnamonMix 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon with flour and add 2/3 cup of finely chopped pecans along with the flour. Before baking, sprinkle the cookies with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon.
   
   AlmondReduce the vanilla extract to 1 teaspoon and add 0.5 teaspoon pure almond extract. Stir 3/4 cup toasted sliced ​​almonds into the dough along with the flour. If desired, brush the tops of the pastry figures with a little egg white and garnish with slivered almonds before baking.
4. Bake until the edges of the cookies are light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
   
   

   Painting with sugar icing

   
   Mix powdered sugar with enough milk to make a thick glaze. Transfer the glaze to a small plastic bag. Press it into the corner of the bag and snip the corner with scissors to create a small opening. Carefully pipe the glaze onto the cookies to create the desired pattern. Set aside for about 1 hour to allow the glaze to harden. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week..