Instructions

1. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until just becoming creamy in texture. Tip: Do not over mix otherwise too much air will be incorporated which will cause your biscuits to spread too much while baking.
2. Beat in the egg, vanilla and salt just until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure it is thoroughly mixed in.
3. Add the flour mix on low until a non-sticky dough forms.
4. Tip the dough out onto a clean surface and knead into a ball. Divide into 3 then flatten each portion into a thick disc then wrap each disc in parchment paper. Chill for at least 2 hours.
5. Once dough is chilled, unwrap the parchment paper, place another sheet of parchment paper on top then roll out between the parchment sheets to about 6mm/¼ inch thick. Tip: Rolling between sheets of parchment means you don’t have to add extra flour to stop the dough from sticking which also makes for no mess. If you find the parchment slides around on the counter while rolling, let one side hang over the edge of the counter, then use your body to press against the counter, holding the parchment, so as your roll away from yourself, it stays firmly anchored.
6. Cut cookies out with your choice of cookie cutter and arrange each on a non-stick baking sheet, or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange them with 2-3cm space between them. Re-roll scraps and cut out more cookies until all the dough has been used.
7. Refrigerate or freeze baking sheets with unbaked cookies between 30 minutes to 1 hour. Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.
8. Remove chilled biscuits from the fridge or freezer and immediately place in the oven. If you’re only able to bake 2 sheets at a time, leave other cookies chilling while you bake the first batch.
9. Bake for 8-15 minutes (depending on their size), just until biscuits are golden around the edges. Remove from oven and leave biscuits to cool completely on a cooling rack.
10. Decorate as you like.