1-Preheat oven: preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) or 160°C if it’s fan-forced, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

2-Beat butter and sugar: Beat the butter and sugar together until they’re creamy, which takes about a minute, then add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until everything is fully combined.

3-Mix flour and leavening: Gradually mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt; the dough will get clumpy as it comes together.

4-Roll and cut dough: Lightly flour your work surface, turn out the dough, pat it into shape, cut it in half, and form two discs. Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) for thin, crispy cookies or 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) for thicker, softer ones, using a bit more flour to stop it from sticking. Cut your shapes with cookie cutters and carefully transfer them to the baking sheets using a knife or spatula, keeping any unused dough in the fridge.

5-Bake cookies: Bake for 10 minutes, swapping the trays halfway through to ensure even cooking, until the tops are pale golden and the edges start to turn light golden. Let the cookies cool fully on the trays as they continue to set.