Step 1

Add butter and sugar to bowl of stand mixer. Sprinkle salt around into bowl. Set mixer on medium-low speed and blend until combined.

Step 2

Add vanilla and blend mixture until well combined (butter should be evenly blended in), scrape down bowl as needed.

Step 3

Pour in flour and mix until combined.

Step 4

On a floured surface, roll dough out 1/3-inch thick. Cut into squares or rectangles (using a cookie cutter or knife. I did about 3 by 1-inch rectangles here).

Step 5

Transfer to ungreased baking sheets spacing 1-inch apart. You can dust of excess flour from scrapes, compress together and re-roll.

Step 6

Transfer baking sheets to refrigerator and chill 30 minutes. Halfway through preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step 7

Bake one sheet at a time in center of oven until cookies are just set about 13 - 16 minutes. Tip: around 9 minutes if your cookies are spreading uneven on edges you can remove from oven and use a butter knife to scoot spread portion back in and even out their edges.

Step 8

Let cool on baking sheet 15 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with second baking sheet.

Step 9

If opting to use optional chocolate finish: Place chocolate in microwave safe dish. Melt in 20 second increments on 50% power, stirring between intervals until melted and smooth (or melt in a double boiler on the stovetop).

Step 10

Dip cooled cookies about halfway into chocolate, lift cookie then run bottom side of cookie along inside bowl edge to remove excess chocolate. Transfer to parchment paper lined baking sheets then refrigerate to set.