Cut Out Sugar Cookie REcipe

• 3 cups all-purpose flour 450 grams
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 sticks room temperature unsalted butter 1cup, 226grams
• 1 cup sgranulated sugar 200grams
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp baking powder optional – check the notes
• 1/2 tsp Almond Extract (optional)
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Extract (optional)

1. Sift together flour (3cups), baking powder (1tsp) add salt
   (1/2tsp), set aside. 
2. In a small dish whisk together egg(1) and vanilla
   extract(1tbsp). If using whisk in almond (1/2tsp) and lemon extract(1/2 tsp),
   set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl cream together room temperature butter
   (1cup) and sugar (1cup), about 5 minutes, scrape the bowl twice. Butter creamed
   with sugar should be light creamy in color. 
4. Gradually add vanilla egg mixture, beating anywhere till
   well combined about a minute. 
5. Lower the speed of your mixer to low. Gradually in 3
   additions add flour mixture. Scrape the bowl well after the last addition and
   beat on low speed until flour blended in. At this stage you’ll see chucks of
   cookie dough. 
6. Dust a a large mixing bowl with 1 tbs flour. Scrape the
   cookie dough into bowl. Gather dough together. Using your hands knead the cookie
   dough for about 10-20 seconds, until dough comes together. Shape into a disk. 
7. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight
   or 4hours(minimum) or speed up the process by placing it into the freeze for 
8. Preheat oven to 375F 
9. If you find that dough is hard as a rock, don’t panic.
   Quarter the dough. Take one piece and microwave on high for 5-8 seconds to
   soften it up a little, it should be super soft, just soft enough so you can
   roll it out, you’ll still need to apply little bit of pressure. Cut up
   remaining dough into smaller pieces, set aside. Place microwaved piece between
   your rolling guides, either between 2 pieces of parchment or if you have large
   silicone mat you can use it also ( for the guides you can use 2 painter’s
   sticks glued together on each side, or 2 pieces of 1/4inch wood rods will work
   great)
10. Cut out as many cookies as you can. Gather scraps and to the
    scraps add a fresh piece of cut up down you set aside. Re-roll and repeat until
    you are done with all the cookies. Place the cookies on a light colored baking
    sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill the cut outs in the fridge for about 10
    minutes, or in the freezer for 5.
11. Bake for 10-11 minutes, depending on the oven, turn the
    sheet once half way through the baking.
12. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-7 minutes,
    transfer to cooling rack.
13. Store in the airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze
    undecorated cookies between pieces of wax paper in a large freeze safe
    container, for up to 3 months.
14. Decorate cookies as desired with royal icing or other medium
    that you use.

This Recipe adapted from >>>> Click Here