Danish Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) best-quality salted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. 2
   In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and egg, and beat to combine. Gradually add flour, and beat until well incorporated. Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 7/16-inch star tip (such as Ateco #825).
3. 3
   Pipe 2 1/2-inch rings onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating halfway through, until lightly golden around edges but still light on top, about 20 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks; let cool completely.