Just in time for the holidays, Green Bay West universal banker Tiffany Pennington shares a staple of the season: the basic, indisputably delicious sugar cookie. The only hitch is, yours might not be quite as artfully frosted as hers.

“I’m quite proud of this set,” Tiffany confesses — as she should be — adding that the gingerbread house is her favorite. “These cookies are like children,” she jokes. “You always say you don’t have a favorite, but deep down, you do.”

Basic sugar cookies
Ingredients
1 cup (two sticks) of REAL unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups confectioner’s sugar
1 egg
2 to 3 tsp flavoring (pick what you like — I prefer almond)
2½ to 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Preparation
Cream together softened butter and confectioner’s sugar.

Crack the egg into a separate bowl, and add the flavoring. I use emulsions, but extract also works well. Add that to the butter-sugar mixture and mix until the egg is thoroughly incorporated.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add little by little to the mixture. I can tell the dough is ready when most of it sticks to the paddle. When I touch it, it has a little give, but does not stick to my fingers.

Roll out on parchment to about ¼ inch thick; use flour for dusting as necessary.

Then, cut and bake at 400 degrees for 3-4 minutes.

This version makes 2 to 2½ dozen cookies; doubled, it makes 4 to 5 dozen.

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