Classic Butter Cookies I

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Recipe

• cream the butter in a large mixing bowl, gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. beat in the egg and vanilla.
• combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture.
• for all the types of cookie shapes preheat oven to 400 degrees f (205 degrees c) before baking. bake all cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• shape the dough in one of the following ways: roll out the chilled dough and cut with cookie cutters. sprinkle with colored sugar if desired. bake for 6 to 8 minutes.
• or: form dough into logs 2 inches in diameter and slice 1/8 inch thick when chilled. sprinkle with chopped nuts, if desired, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes.
• or: shape into balls and bake. balls may be rolled in sugar mixed with cinnamon if desired. bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
• or: put unchilled dough into a cookie press and press into desired shapes chill shaped cookies before baking. bake chilled cookies for 8 to 10 minutes.
• or: add 1 cup chopped walnuts and 1/2 cup flour to dough. chill then shape into balls and bake for 8 to10 minutes. roll still warm cookies in confectioners' sugar. once cool sprinkle chilled cookies with more confectioners' sugar.