Flavorful Sugar Cookies

The kids were determined to make sugar cookies for Santa...like ask-me-every-day-25-times-until-I-finally-cave-and-make-them determined. The catch is...I'm not in LOVE with my sugar cookie recipe and it makes a gazillion cookies. So, when they finally convinced me, I went to my new favorite resource - Our Best Bites - and found this amazing sugar cookie recipe! It did not dissapoint. I also tried a "soft cookie" recipe with sour cream, and while they were delicious too, this one was definitely my favorite. They are ultra flavorful even without frosting, hold their shape so well, and with the trick from the recipe, SO EASY to cut into shapes! I may even be willing to do sugar cookies more than once a year! Plus, it doesn't make a gazillion cookies...just a normal size batch.

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract (or other flavor, like vanilla or peppermint or whatever your heart desires - I used 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp almond extract)
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Cream the butter and sugar (make sure it is light and fluffy before you stop whipping!). Add in egg and extract and mix. Add baking powder and salt. Mix. Add flour gradually until completely mixed.

Chill dough for about an hour... OR make your life so so so much easier by doing this:

Place a ball of dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll the dough flat. This way you won't have to add more flour, and you won't have to attempt to roll cold dough. :) Chill for about 20-30 minutes on a flat surface in your fridge, then peel off the top layer of parchment paper and start cutting out your shapes. Ummm...yeah, I love this part. No floury mess all over my counters, no trying to smash a cold ball of dough, just out of the fridge and onto the table for the kids to get shaping! Awesome!

Bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes. I like mine more on the soft side, so I think I was closer to 8 minutes, but if you like them buttery crisp, then go closer to 12.

Of course, I topped these with my favorite buttercream frosting and sugar sprinkles.