1 1/2 STICKS BUTTER IN CUPS RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Combine sugar, butter and egg in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Add all remaining ingredients; beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in decorator sprinkles or sugar as desired. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Bake 6-8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
• Store in container with tight-fitting lid up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.
• Variations:Cinnamon ‘n Sugar: Omit decorator sprinkles and/or sugars. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in mixture of 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Bake as directed.Chocolate Toffee: Omit decorator sprinkles and/or sugars. Prepare dough as directed above; stir in 1/2 cup milk chocolate toffee bits. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Bake as directed.Candy: Omit decorator sprinkles and/or sugars. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Top with candy-coated milk chocolate pieces. Bake as directed.Glazed: Omit decorator sprinkles and/or sugars. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake as directed. Place 1/2 cup chocolate chips into small resealable plastic food bag. Microwave 30 seconds; knead bag. Continue microwaving at 15 second intervals, kneading bag until chocolate is smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag; drizzle cookies with chocolate.

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer (preferably fitted with paddle attachment) or 6 with a handheld. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix until just combined.
• Form dough into a 12-inch log (2 inches in diameter) on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll up dough in plastic wrap. Chill dough on a baking sheet until firm, at least 4 hours. (To roll cookies into balls, see cooks' note, below.)
• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Cut enough 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick slices from log with a heavy knife to fill 2 ungreased large baking sheets, arranging slices about 1 inch apart (chill remainder of log, wrapped in plastic wrap). If garnishing with coarse sugar, sprinkle slices with it.
• Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes total. Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely. Make more cookies with remaining dough on cooled baking sheets.
• *Available at specialty foods shops and New York Cake & Baking Distributor (800-942-2639).