A simple butter cookie is always welcome. Dip these in your coffee, tea or milk, for a snack or add them to a bowl of ice cream for dessert. And this recipe only requires one bowlThis recipe is adapted from David Tanis' Heart of the Artichoke Cookbook.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with your mixer on high, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. The mixture is creamed when the sugar is well incorporated into the butter.
Beat in the egg yolks, salt, and vanilla.
When the mixture is well combined add the flour one cup at a time and stir. You can use the lowest setting on your electric mixer or do this part by hand. (I'm lazy, I use my mixer!) Make sure the flour is completely incorporated.
Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and form each piece into a 1-inch in diameter log. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of one hour or up to 3 days. (Or freeze, see Gr8 Note.)
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Remove one log from the refrigerator and slice at ½-inch intervals. Place on cookie sheet at least an inch apart.
Bake for 11-14 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
Notes
Gr8 Butter Notes:
If you only have good salted butter in the house, use that but omit the ½ teaspoon of salt in the recipe.
Be sure to buy the best quality butter you can for this recipe, it shows in the flavor. I love the European butters for recipes like this.
Gr8 Do Ahead Notes:
Cookie logs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, then sliced and baked.
You can freeze the logs for up to 2 months. Let them defrost for a few minutes before slicing, but the logs should still be firm enough to get a good round slice, so watch them carefully.
Gr8 Holiday Idea:
Before baking sprinkle the sliced cookies with crystal sugar in the colors of your choice to make festive holiday cookies.