📖 Instructions

1. **Prep Your Space & Oven:** First things first, get your oven ready. Preheat it to a comfy 375°F (190°C). Then, line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. This isn't just for easy cleanup, it helps with even baking and prevents sticking, which is super important for delicate cookies. Make sure your butter is softened, but not melted. It should give a little when you press it.
2. **Cream the Butter and Sugar:** In your large mixing bowl, grab your electric mixer (or a strong arm and a whisk, if you're feeling ambitious!). Add the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar. Beat them together on medium speed until the mixture looks pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. You want it to be light and airy, almost like a cloud. This step incorporates air, which helps make the cookies tender. Don't rush it!
3. **Add Wet Ingredients:** Now, crack in that large egg and pour in the vanilla extract. Beat again, just until everything is combined. Be careful not to overmix here. You’ll notice the mixture might look a little curdled at first, but keep going until it smooths out. The vanilla is key for that classic sugar cookie flavor, so don't skimp!
4. **Combine Dry Ingredients:** In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together your all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisking ensures these dry ingredients are evenly distributed, so you don't end up with a salty bite or a flat cookie because the baking powder wasn't spread around.
5. **Gradually Add Dry to Wet:** With your mixer on low speed (or if hand mixing, gently fold), gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture. Do this in two or three additions, mixing just until the flour streaks *just* disappear. The moment it comes together, stop mixing! Overmixing at this stage develops too much gluten, and you'll end up with tough cookies, not tender ones. We're aiming for a soft, pliable dough.
6. **Chill the Dough (Crucial Step!):** Gather your dough into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and pop it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes. An hour is even better! This chilling time is a game-changer. It helps the butter firm up, preventing the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, and allows the flavors to meld. Plus, it makes the dough much easier to handle.
7. **Roll and Cut:** Once chilled, lightly flour a clean surface and your rolling pin. Take out about half of your dough (keep the rest chilled). Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Now for the fun part: grab your favorite cookie cutters! Cut out your shapes and carefully transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1-2 inches between each cookie. If the dough gets too sticky, re-chill it for a bit.
8. **Bake to Perfection:** Slide your baking sheets into the preheated oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just barely golden, and the centers still look a little soft. This is the trick to a melt-in-your-mouth cookie! Don't wait for them to look golden all over, or they'll be hard. Each oven is different, so keep an eye on them starting around 7 minutes.
9. **Cool Down:** Once baked, let the cookies sit on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes. They're delicate when hot, so this brief cooling period helps them firm up enough to move. Then, gently transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
10. **Decorate (Optional, but Fun!):** Once completely cool, you can decorate them! A simple dusting of powdered sugar is elegant, or you can whip up a basic vanilla glaze (powdered sugar, a tiny bit of milk or cream, and a splash of vanilla). Get creative!
11. **Enjoy (and Try Not to Eat Them All!):** Serve and watch them disappear! These are best enjoyed fresh, but they store well too.