• In bowl of electric mixer, combine flour, sugar, butter, and salt. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and vanilla, beating constantly until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 170˚C (350˚F).
• Place dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough between paper sheets until 1.5cm (½in) thick. Peel off top sheet of paper. Using cookie cutters, cut out dough into shapes. Place well apart on parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes or, until golden brown. OR Choose your favorite cookie preparation: o Cookie Sandwiches Cut a hole in half of the dough shapes before baking. After cookies are baked, place a spoonful of jam or melted chocolate on a solid cookie, then place same shape in a cut cookie on top. o Nut-Topped Cookies Brush warm freshly baked cookies with jam or melted chocolate, then sprinkle with nuts. o Cookie Cups Roll cookie dough into walnut-size balls. Press balls over bottom and up sides of tartlet pans. Bake tartlets. While still warm, fill tartlet shells with spoonfuls of jam or melted chocolate, then sprinkle with nuts.

  Variation

• Substitute 2 tablespoons of the all-purpose flour with the same amount of cocoa powder.