Sugar Cookies

Instructions

Prep the dough: Whisk the egg, vanilla, salt, and Fiori di Sicilia together in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Process the sugar in a food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add the butter and process until a uniform mass forms with no large pieces of butter visible, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the egg mixture and process until smooth and paste-like, about 10 seconds. Add the flour mixture and process until no dry flour remains but the mixture is still crumbly, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides as needed. Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead gently until smooth, about 10 seconds.

Roll & chill: Divide the dough in half. Place one piece in the center of a large sheet of parchment and press into a 7 by 9-inch oval. Lay a second sheet of parchment on top and roll into a 10 by 14-inch oval of even ⅛-inch thickness. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the second piece of dough and stack on top. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

Cut & bake: Heat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment. Working with one sheet of dough at a time, peel off the top layer of parchment, replace it loosely, then flip the dough over and peel off the second sheet. Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter and transfer to the prepared sheet, spacing about ½ inch apart. Bake until lightly and evenly browned around the edges, about 11 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through.

Tip: Because the dough is rolled between parchment, you can reroll scraps as many times as needed without overworking it.