Mom's Traditional Sugar Cookie Recipe

1/2 lb. (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter (softened)
2 cups Sugar
3 Eggs
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
4 1/2+ cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla

In a large bowl, cream softened butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, salt and baking soda and blend thoroughly. Sift in flour 1 cup at a time until it is all incorporated. Divide dough into four balls. Cover in plastic wrap and chill for at least 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dust work surface and rolling pin with flour and roll out dough. If dough is too sticky, slowly add more flour and roll up again until it is firm. Roll the dough to approx. 1/8 thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Sprinkle with sugar if desired.* Bake until light brown, 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool completely before decorating with butter cream icing. (Makes approx. 7 dozen medium-sized cookies.)

*If you choose to icing your cookies, do not sprinkle with sugar.

Butter Cream Cookie Icing

1/4 lb (1 stick) Unsalted Butter (softened)
2 cups Confectioners Sugar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 cup milk

Allow butter to soften at room temperature. Sift in confectioners sugar and cream together with hand mixer until smooth. Add vanilla and milk. Color with food colorings as desired. (makes enough to icing 40-50 cookies)