1 1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup shortening or butter
2 eggs
2 Tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/4 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Early in the day or the day before:
In a large bowl cream the shortening and the sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla, and milk. In a medium bowl mix the dry ingredients with a wire whisk. Add the dry ingredients to the large bowl. Mix with mixer until well combined. With hands, shape the dough into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Roll half or 1/3 dough at a time, keep the rest refrigerated. For crisp cookies, roll the dough paper thing. For softer cookies, roll 1/8" to 1/4" thick (I think this is better than thin).
With floured cutter, cut into shapes. Re-roll trimmings and cut.
Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on cookie sheets. Bake 8 minutes or until very light brown.
*For sturdy and tasty cookies, you should use 1/2 shortening and 1/2 butter. Shortening makes cookies sturdy and butter makes them tasty. (This is what I normally do.)