Basic Sugar Cookie Dough

Makes about 48 cookies

Ingredients:

12 tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

In a large bowl, with electric mixer, cream butter about 1 minute, or until pale and fluffy.

Add confectioners' sugar and granulated sugar; beat until well combined.  Add egg and vanilla extract; beat until mixture looks smooth.

Add flour; beat just until it is incorporated, scraping down sides of the bowl.  Gather dough into a ball.  Refrigerate until dough is firm.  At this point you can use the dough as the base for other cookie recipes or you can bake as follows.

Sprinkle board lightly with confectioners' sugar.  Roll dough to 1/8 of an inch.  Cut shapes with cookie cutters and bake on an un-greased cookie sheet about 10 minutes until lightly tinged brown on edges.