Easter Basket Sugar Cookies

Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. Divide the dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two cookie sheets with cooking spray. Roll out one dough half on a floured work surface until dough is 1⁄8 inch thick.

Using cookie cutters, cut out as many shapes as you can from the rolled dough. Using a metal spatula, transfer the shapes to the cookie sheets, spacing them about 1⁄2 inch apart. Set the dough scraps aside. Roll out and cut shapes from the second dough half and transfer them to the sheets. Gather all the dough scraps together, roll them out, cut out shapes and place them on the sheets.

Bake until light golden brown around the edges, 10–12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely before icing. Makes about 40 cookies.

Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Add the melted butter, vanilla and cream. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. If the icing seems too thin, add more confectioners' sugar; if it seems too thick, add a drop or two of cream.

For different colors of icing, divide the icing among small bowls, then add 1 or 2 drops of desired food coloring to each bowl and stir well to blend. Spread a thin layer of icing onto each cookie and⁄or use a small pastry bag fitted with a narrow writing tip to pipe raised decorations. Set the cookies aside until the icing is completely dry.