Eight Flavor-Rich Butter Cookies . . .

. . . From One Easy Recipe This recipe came to me via my mil on a tattered, torn, and taped magazine page that once belonged to her mother. The original description says, "Cookies to please everybody! Eight different kinds - one easy recipe. And, oh, that delicious, real butter flavor when you make 'em the real butter way!" (NOTE: The prep time will vary by cookie and if the recipe calls for chilling the dough. The nutrition info is based on a yield of 6 dozen cookies - the yeild also varies by recipe followed).

• Ready In: 23 mins
• Yields: 72 cookies

Ingredients

• 1  cup butter
• 1 1⁄2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1  egg
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. EASY, BASIC RECIPE.
3. Cream butter.
4. Add sugar gradually, cream until fluffy.
5. Add unbeaten egg and vanilla. Beat well.
6. Sift together dry ingredients and blend into creamed mixture.
7. Divide dough in half and prepare cookies in variations you prefer:
8. BUTTER CRISPIES:
9. Chill dough. Roll half cookie dough on well-floured pastry cloth to 1/8 inch thick. Cut with floured cookie cutters. Bake about 6 minutes and cool on rack. Makes about 3 dozen.
10. SNOWBALLS:
11. To half cookie dough add 1/3 cup ground walnuts. Chill. Roll dough into balls size of large marbles. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Roll at once in confectioner's sugar. Cool Roll again in sugar. Makes about 2.5 dozen.
12. BUTTER FINGERS:
13. To half cookie dough add 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 1/4 cup chopped candied cherries. Chill. Shape into oblongs sizes of little finger. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle while hot with granulated sugar, and again when cool. Makes about 2 dozen.
14. TRIXIE-TREATS:
15. Chill half dough. Mold into balls size of walnuts. Roll in mixture of 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about 1.5 dozen.
16. BUTTER THINSIES:
17. Form half dough in roll 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in wax paper and chill until firm. Slice 1/8 inch thick. Sprinkle with finely chopped nuts or coconut. Bake 6 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.
18. CHOCOLATE MINT CREAMS:
19. To half recipe add 1 square unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled. Form dough in roll 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in wax paper and chill. Slice 1/8 inch thick. Bake 8 minutes. Cool. Put together with Mint Cream Filling: Cream 2 tbsps butter, 1 cup sifted confectioner's sugar, 1 tbsp cream, mint flavoring. Makes about 1.5 dozen.
20. JEWEL CLUSTERS:
21. Using half dough, drop by half teaspoons on cookie sheet. Press candied fruit into each. Bake 8 minutes. Makes about 2.5 dozen.
22. MOLASSES SPICE-EEZ:
23. To half dough, add 2 tbsps molasses, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg. Chill at least 1/2 hour. Roll 1/8 inch thick on well-floured surface. Cut into patterns. Bake 6 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.