Cream the butter

• Place the room-temperature butter in the mixer bowl and cream it.
• Scrape down the bowl.

Cream with the sugar

• Add the sugar and cream again.
• Scrape down the bowl.

Add eggs, vanilla and salt

• Add the cold eggs, vanilla extract and salt.
• Mix just until combined, then scrape down the bowl.

Incorporate the flour

• Add half of the flour and mix, then scrape down the bowl.
• Add the remaining flour and mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms one big clump.

Roll out the dough

• Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about 10 mm thick.
• Wrap and refrigerate.

Cut out the cookies

• Cut the chilled dough into shapes with cookie cutters.
• Poke small holes in each cookie with a scribe, fork or toothpick so they bake evenly.

Bake

• Bake at 175 °C for 8 minutes, then rotate the tray and bake for another 7 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly browned.

Flatten and cool

• Press each cookie flat with a fondant smoother or the bottom of a cup for a clean surface.
• Leave the cookies on the tray to cool completely before decorating.