Vanilla Sand Dollar Cookies

• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners or grease generously with butter or cooking spray.
3. With a pastry brush, lightly coat a cookie stamp with a neutral-tasting vegetable oil, such as canola, or mist it with cooking spray.
4. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium-low speed until combined.
5. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed just until thoroughly combined.
6. (Dont overmix here or the cookies can be tough.)
7. Using a 1 1/4-inch scoop, drop the dough on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
8. Stamp each dough ball firmly enough to make an imprint, but dont press so hard that the cookie flattens to less than 1/4 inch thick.
9. Bake until the cookies begin to look golden brown around the edges, about 10 minutes.
10. The cookies will keep for a few days in an airtight container.
11. Youll find cookie stamps in many patterns at most well-stocked specialty kitchen stores, or check out www.rycraft.com.
12. In addition to ones depicting sand dollars, they stock numerous others that are sea-related, including seahorses, sea turtles, crabs, starfish, and dolphins.

unsalted butter, golden brown sugar, vanilla bean paste, allpurpose, salt

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/vanilla-sand-dollar-cookies-382617 (may not work)