These Sugar Cookies are really easy - in fact, we call them "No Fail Sugar Cookies".  You can use cookie cutters to cut any shape imaginable from them and either serve plain or iced with royal icing or fondant icing, or sift some icing sugar or cocoa powder through a stencil for a pretty pattern.  Once baked, their shelf life is quite long, making them perfect for gift giving.  And the smell wafting through your kitchen is oooooh soooo divine!

Ingredients

• 3 cups plain flour (450g)
• 1 cup salted butter (240g)
• 1 cup caster sugar (225g)
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract, citrus zest or your favourite flavouring (we love LorAnn flavour oils available in 70+ flavours)

Method

1. In your electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs and your chosen flavour extract (ie vanilla, LorAnn flavour oil or citrus zest).   Mix well.  Don't worry if your mixture looks curdled at this stage - this is perfectly normal.
3. Add the flour a little at a time. Mix until flour is completely incorporated and the dough comes together, but don't overmix.
4. Roll dough between two sheets of baking paper about 5-7mm thick – chill for ½ hour or freeze for 5-10 minutes
5. Cut into desired shapes with your cookie cutters. Gently mix together the offcuts by hand and re-roll.  Chill and repeat process.
6. Place the chilled cookie dough shapes onto a room temperature baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake at 180°C /350°F for 7 to 10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges.

Pro Tip:  Placing chilled cookies onto a room temperature baking tray helps to stop your cookies from spreading. This is really beneficial when you are using the same cookie cutter to cut a fondant icing for the top.  This way, both the cookie and the fondant finish up a very similar size.  If you prefer to see your cookies rise & expand, then you can put them into the oven un-chilled or add some baking powder to the flour.

Pro Tip:  as soon as your cookie is out of the oven, place your pre-made fondant topper on top (cut with the same shaped cookie cutter).  The heat from the hot cookie will cause the sugar in your fondant to melt slightly and act as glue – binding the fondant topper and cookie together without needing anything else.  So quick and easy!

Pro Tip:  rolling a uniform thickness for each cookie creates a professional looking cookie.  You can use thickness guides either side of your dough or use a rolling pin with thickness guides built in.  We sell both at Latorta - they are fabulous!!

Storage: Wrap in food safe plastic bags for gift giving or package in a cardboard box with some shredded paper to catch any moisture. Cookies can also be stored for many months in a plastic container (ie tupperware).  Some bakers swear by adding a slice of bread to the tupperware to soak up any moisture.