Photo: Tara Striano

The dough has a subtle cinnamon flavor, just like the store-bought version.

Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Frosting, food dye and decorating sprinkles

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat the butter for a minute on its own, then add the sugar a little at a time. Take a break to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Beat in the egg, then the vanilla, until both are fully incorporated. Time for the dry ingredients: Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and add to the butter mixture half at a time. It might take a while to form a dough. Keep mixing!

Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and shape it into a disk. Chill it for at least 2 hours or overnight.

When you're ready to bake, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thick. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters and place them on parchment paper-lined sheets 1 1/2 inches apart. If the dough is soft, stick the sheets in the freezer for 15 minutes (or in the fridge for 30). Then bake the cookies until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Frost when completely cooled.

Variation: Tie-Dye Animals

Divide the dough in half before chilling. Add a few drops red or blue food coloring to one half and knead the dough to incorporate. Add a few drops green or blue food coloring to the other half and incorporate. Recombine the doughs, pressing your fingers through them just enough so the colors start to blend together, but don't fully mix. Chill, roll, cut, and bake your tie-dyed creations.