Sugar Cookies

I was a busy baking bee last week getting ready for that bridal shower! These were the other cookies I made - I used pink decorative sugar on them to go with the wedding colours.

Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. aluminium-free baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
16 tbsp. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/2 cup for rolling dough
1 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Colored sugar or edible glitter (optional) for decorating

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

3. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, cream the butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and the brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl.

4. Place the 1/2 cup sugar for rolling on a cutting board. Roll a tablespoon of dough into a ball and roll the ball into the sugar then place it on the prepared baking pan. Repeat with the remaining dough. Butter the bottom of a drinking glass and then dip the bottom of the glass in the remaining sugar (or colored sugar). Flatten the dough balls with the bottom of the glass until they are about 3/4 inch thick, dipping the glass in sugar as necessary (every 2-3 cookies).

5. Bake until the cookies are golden brown around the edges and their centers are just set and very lightly colored, about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies on wire racks and store between sheets of wax or parchment paper in an air-tight container.

Reference:
For these cookies, I used the "Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookie" recipe from Baking Illustrated.