Sugar cookies for decorating (and treating)

Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups premium flour
• 0.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp fine salt
• 220 g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 0.5 cup powdered sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1.5 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another medium bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and powdered sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated. Pour in the flour mixture and knead until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
2. Divide the dough in half, form into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
3. Generously flour a clean work surface (it's best to sift it for an even layer). Carefully roll out the chilled dough to a thickness of about 0.5 cm.
4. Cut out any shapes from the dough using cookie cutters, working quickly to keep the dough chilled. If the dough becomes too soft, place it in the refrigerator on a parchment-lined baking sheet to firm up again, about 30 minutes.
5. Place the shapes onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing them about 2.5 cm apart. Refrigerate the sheets for at least 30 minutes. Lightly brush off any excess flour with a dry pastry brush. The scraps can be gathered, re-rolled, and used to cut out more shapes.
6. Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Bake the cookies until golden brown on the bottom, about 12-15 minutes, depending on the pan. Let them cool on the baking sheets until firm, then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely. Decorate with icing. Store cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 week..