Step 1

Preheat Oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until creamy (1 minute on speed 5)

Step 3

Add egg and vanilla, beat until completely combined.

Step 4

Add flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 5

Start mixing slowly, then beat until the flour is incorporated - it will be clumpy.

Step 6

Dust work surface with flour, scrape dough out of bowl. Pat together then cut in half, then shape into 2 discs.

Step 7

Roll out to 0.3cm / 1/8" (for thinner, crispier cookies) or 0.6cm / 1/4" (for thicker, softer cookies), sprinkling with flour under and over the dough so it doesn't stick.

Step 8

Use cookie cutters to press out shapes and use a knife or spatula to transfer shapes to prepared baking sheets. (Keep dough that doesn't fit in the oven in the fridge).

Step 9

Bake for 10 minutes, swapping trays halfway (Note 2), until the surface is pale golden and the edges are just beginning to turn light golden.

Step 10

Allow cookies to cool completely on trays (they will finish cooking on the trays).

Step 11

Icing - see Icing for Christmas Cookies recipe.

Step 12

Melt chocolate then dip the surface into chocolate.

Step 13

Dot with icing sugar and decorated with silver balls

Step 14

Dust with icing sugar

Step 15

Serve plain! They are sweet vanilla biscuits so they are wonderful eaten just as they are!