½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup sugar
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
Preheat oven to 325F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment or wax paper
Beat the butter in a mixer with the paddle attachment until soft and light. Beat the sugar in a stream and continue beating for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is very light and pale. Stir in the flour by hand just until it’s absorbed. Be careful not to over mix!
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and drop pinches of flour onto the dough. Press the dough out with your hands and then gently roll it out to ½ inch thick. Cut with floured cutters and transfer the cut pieces to the cookie sheet.
Bake for about 15 minutes, until it is very lightly colored. Cool on a rack. Can be stored in a tin or a tight lidded plastic container for a few days or freeze for longer storage.