Butter Cookies (Sint Maarten)

Sint Maarten's cuisine subscribes to the general diversity of its people, revealing touches of the French, Spanish and the Dutch. The butter cookie is a reflection of the Islan'd fusioned cuisine. It is part cookie and part cake. Simple to make, delicious to eat.

½ lb unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
¼ tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar along with the vanilla extract, until mixture is fluffy and light.

In a bowl, whisk together flour and salt, then, ½ cup at a time, add it to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.

Scoop dough onto the center of a large ungreased, 9" square baking pan, and using a spatula spread it out evenly.

Bake the huge cookie on the center rack of the oven until firm to the touch and golden brown, about 35 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and cut the 9" square cookie into 1½" squares, making 36 smaller cookies.

Place them on a wire rack to cool before eating.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.