Servings: About 5 dozen cookies

1 cup butter, softened 1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar ¾ cup sugar
2¼ cups flour 2¼ cups flour
¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp vanilla
1 egg 1 egg

Heat oven to 400°F
Cream the butter and the sugar together.
Mix in the remaining ingredients. It goes best in this order: salt, baking powder, vanilla, egg, flour (slowly).
Put dough in the refrigerator to stiffen it up a little bit (not too much; you'll jam up the press).
Put dough in the cookie press; form the shapes you like on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Top with colored sugar or bits of candied fruit if you're so inclined.
Bake until set but not brown, about 6 to 9 minutes.
Let them sit for a minute after removing them from the oven, then move to a rack to cool.