To make these buttery treats, we fashioned 6-inch lengths of dough into twisted rope shapes. You could also form the lengths into pretzel shapes and sprinkle them with coarse sanding sugar before baking.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 3 dozen

　　1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　1 large egg white

　　1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until creamy. Mix in vanilla and egg white. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and salt; mix until combined.

　　

Step 2

Roll dough into 3/4-inch balls. Roll each ball into a 6-inch log. Bend log in half, then twist. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

　　

Step 3

Bake, rotating halfway through, until cookies just begin to turn golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on parchment on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.

　　Martha Stewart's Cookies