Basic Cookie Cutter Dough

This simple dough, which is the starting point for most holiday cookie recipes, calls for butter because butter not only gives the best flavor in baked goods, but also makes the dough much more manageable to work with.
Use this recipe to make Fig-Filled Moons, Chocolate Pinwheels, Butter Cookie Cutouts, Chewy Fruit Bars, Hazelnut-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, Cranberry-Orange Spice Cookies, Gingerbread Cutouts, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Chocolate-Dipped Peppermint Sticks, Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprints.

Ingredients

2 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

On waxed paper, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar 1 minute or until creamy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Add egg and vanilla; beat until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in flour mixture just until blended, occasionally scraping bowl.
Follow directions for your choice of cookie.