The BESTEST Sugar Cookies EVER!!!

I promise these are the BEST Sugar Cookies, and the EASIEST that I have ever, ever ,ever made!!!!!

courtesy of Southern Living (with my slight tweak)

(sorry no plain cookie pics, forgot)

1 Cup butter, softened

1/2 tbsp vanilla bean paste

( use good vanilla extract if you don't have the paste, but I PROMISE its worth searching for-- You can order it at specialty grocery stores)

1 cup powdered sugar

2 cups, unbleached all purpose flour

(again unbleached my prefrence, you can used regular flour)

1/4 tsp. salt

--you will also need parchment paper and rolling pin--

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Beat butter and vanilla ( at this point you can use whatever flavoring you like to substitute for the vanilla, for example in the SouthernLiving recipe they used Lemon Zest) with a heavy duty mixer until creamy.
3. Combine flour and salt,mix well.
4. Gradually add flour to butter mixture, beating until just blended. Shape dough into a disc.
5. Gradually add in sugar, beating well. 
6. Roll dough into 1/8 thickness on a lightly "floured" surface. ( in the case of sugar cookies, use the powdered sugar as if it is flour for the purpose of keeping dough from sticking. ie-use it to dust your dough, your rolling pin, your surface,etc...)
7.  Cut out whatever shapes with your cookie cutters and place on parchment lined baking sheets approx 1/2inch apart.
8. Bake for 12-14 min. or until edges are slightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 5 min. then transfer to wire racks to cool completely( about 20 min.)
9. Decorate as desired!!!! Go crazy- decorate however you wish!!!!