Sugar Cookie Slices
1 cup butter ; softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Colored ; sugar
1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon; stir in any remaining flour. Cover and chill dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
2. To shape rolls, divide dough in half. Shape each half of dough in an 8-inch-long roll. Coat the surface of the rolls with colored sugar. Wrap rolls in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Place the wrapped rolls in tall drinking glasses before chilling so the rolls will not flatten from resting on the refrigerator shelf. A baguette bread pan with rounded bottom is another container that can be using during chilling. Chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours or until the dough is firm enough to slice.
3. Remove one roll of dough from the refrigerator. Cut the dough roll crosswise into 1/4-inch slices using a sharp, thin-bladed knife. Place a ruler beside the roll to make sure all of the cookies that you cut are the same thickness. Wipe the knife occasionally with a clean paper towel so that you get an even slice. Rotate the roll of dough as you slice to avoid flattening one side.
Place cookies 1-1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 60 cookies.
4. Make-Ahead Tip: Wrap dough in plastic wrap. Place in an airtight container; chill up to 1 week. Or seal, label, and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before slicing. Or, arrange cooled, baked cookies in an airtight or freezer container in a single layer; cover with a sheet of waxed paper. Repeat layers, leaving enough air space to close container easily. Seal, label and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature.
Spiral Variation: To make slice-and-bake cookies with a spiral appearance, divide the dough in half. Tint one portion with paste food coloring. Knead in the color until it is well mixed. Leave remaining dough plain. Divide each portion of dough in half. Wrap and chill each portion of dough in the refrigerator about 1 hour or until it's easy to handle. Roll one portion of plain dough into an 8x8-inch square between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Next, roll one portion of colored dough into an 8x8-inch square. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper from both portions of dough. Carefully invert the plain dough on top of the colored dough. Press down gently with your hands to seal. Remove top sheet of waxed paper. Tightly roll up into a spiral. Remove the waxed paper that is on the bottom of dough as you go. Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Repeat with the remaining 2 portions of dough. Chill and bake as directed in the Basic Slice Cookies recipe. Repeat with remaining dough. Makes about 60 cookies.
Butterflies: To make Butterflies out of the spiral cookie slices, cut the spiral dough into 1/4-inch thick slices and then cut the slices in half. Press the rounded sides of half-slices together for a butterfly shape. Sprinkle the surface of the butterfly cookies with granulated sugar before baking. Bake as directed above in the Basic Slice recipe.
Bells: To make Bells from the Basic Slice Cookies, prepare, roll, and slice dough as directed in the Basic Slice Cookie recipe. Place the slices on an ungreased cookie sheet. Fold the opposite edges at a slight angle toward the center of the cookie. Place a red cinnamon candy at the open end to resemble the clapper of a bell. Bake and cool as directed in the Basic Slice Cookies.
