Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a baking tray with a little of the extra butter and set the tray aside.
• Cut the chilled salted butter into small cubes to help processing.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, egg, baking soda, salt, and the cubed chilled butter.
• Pulse the mixture in short bursts until it resembles rice-sized granules and starts to come together when pressed (do not overprocess).
• Transfer the mixture to a bowl and press it together with your hands to form a cohesive dough. If it seems warm or too soft, chill it in the refrigerator while the oven finishes preheating (about 10–15 minutes).
• Portion the dough into balls about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. Place the balls on the greased baking tray (or on parchment), leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) between each.
• Press each ball down gently to flatten to about 1/4 inch (≈0.5 cm) thickness.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are lightly golden, about 15–20 minutes. Begin checking at 12 minutes because baking times vary by oven.
• Remove the tray from the oven and transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Serve cooled with coffee or tea, or store in a tightly closed jar at room temperature for up to 24 hours, or refrigerated for up to two days.