Cutout Sugar Cookies

These cookies are crunchy but not crisp, sweet but not too sweet by themselves.  I find it convenient to roll out the cookie dough to be a smidgen thinner than the thickness of the lid of a sour cream container (close to ¼”.)  Brush any random flour off the top of the cookies. If the top is not perfectly smooth, flip the cookie over to the flat other side before placing the dough on the cookie sheet.

¾ cup butter, softened, not melted

¾ cup sugar

1 large egg

1 t lemon or lime peel zest

1 T heavy cream

1 t vanilla extract

2-1/4 cups flour

¼ t salt

Cream butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg, lemon peel, cream, and vanilla until well blended.  Combine the flour and salt, then gradually mix into batter until blended.  Shape dough into a large flat disk, wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours before rolling out.  If you cool for several hours or over night, you need to let it sit out for 45 minutes to one hour before rolling out.

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8” thickness.  Cut with cookie cutters dipped in flour.  Place on cookie sheet.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned on the edges.  Remove from the sheet and cool the cookies on a wire rack.

If you want to dust the cookies with powdered sugar, spoon powdered sugar into a small mesh strainer and shake over the cookies immediately after removing them from the cookie sheet.  It melts the sugar a bit.

The cookies can be frosted and decorated after they are cooled.  Or dipped in hot fudge sauce!