Butter Cookies

3 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
6 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 ½ tsp. lemon extract.
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Set aside ½ cup sugar in a flat dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder; set aside. In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream butter and remaining 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add extracts. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed until well mixed and a dough forms. Shape into a ball disc and flatten slightly. Wrap each in plastic food wrap; refrigerate 1 hour (to overnight) or until firm.

Heat oven to 325°F. Line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper.   Divide in dough in half. Roll one half, on lightly floured surface (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to ¼-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters of choice. Place on sugar plate and flip, covering both sides of the cookie with sugar. Transfer, 1 inch apart onto cookie sheets and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Bake 10-15 minutes, depending on cookie size, or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to cooling rack. Cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen (3-inch round) cookies

Cooks Notes:

• Use different color decorative sugars to personalize an occasion.
• Glaze cookies instead of adding sugar – In medium bowl, stir together 2 ½ cups confectioners sugar, 2-3 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon light corn syrup and ½ tsp. preferred flavor extract until smooth, adding additional water, if necessary, to reach desired glazing consistency. Tint with food color, if desired. Drizzle or dip cookies with glaze. Decorate as desired. Let stand overnight to allow glaze to harden.