Forevermama's Sugar Cookies

Step 1

Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a mixer bowl until light and fluffy.

Step 2

Beat in egg, lemon peel and vanilla.

Step 3

Beat in dry ingredients until combined. Remove from bowl onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Shape into an even square or ball. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Step 4

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 5

Grease about 5 cookie sheets.

Step 6

With a serrated knife, divide dough into quarters. Wrap 3 of the quarters of dough in plastic wrap and place back in the refrigerator.

Step 7

Roll the quarter that is not wrapped between 2 sheets of wax paper -- or, flour both your surface and top of dough. Using a rolling pin, gently roll out cookie dough until even to about 1/8" thick.

Step 8

With floured cookie cutter(s), cut dough into desired shapes.

Step 9

Place shapes onto the greased cookie sheets. If using colored sugars, decorate with the sugars at this point.

Step 10

Bake 8 - 9 minutes or until edges are golden.

Step 11

Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

Step 12

Repeat the process with remaining dough.

Step 13

NOTE: I've always tripled and quadrupled this recipe.

Step 14

NOTE: If using decorative icing, decorate with the following decorative icing recipe once cookies have cooled. Different colored icing can be achieved by adding food coloring.

Step 15

Decorative Icing:.

Step 16

Beat all ingredients in a large mixer bowl until smooth and thick, about 5 minutes. Store in tightly covered container up to 4 days. Makes about 3/4 cup.

NOTE: I've never decorated these with the decorative icing due to time constraints (but have always wanted to). Therefore, I can't confirm if the decorative icing is the perfect amount to ice the specific amount of cookies produced from this recipe

Step 17

Yield: 3-4 dozen.