Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread ½ cup of the sugar in a shallow dish for coating and set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
Beat butter with the remaining 1 ½ cups sugar together in a large bowl using an electric mixer, on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 6 minutes.
Beat in the vanilla.
Add the eggs, one at a time, until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds.
Give the dough a final stir with a rubber spatula to make sure it is combined. Place bowl with dough into refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Use wet hands to roll 2 Tablespoons of dough at a time into balls, then roll in the sugar to coat. Lay the balls on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart.
Flatten the cookies with the buttered bottom of a drinking glass, then sprinkle any of the remaining sugar over the flattened tops or use colored sugar.
Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and just beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.
Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
Notes
Alternative Flavors.
For Lemon Sugar Cookies - Add a Tablespoon of Lemon Zest in with the eggs.
For Lime Sugar Cookies – Process one teaspoon grated lime zest in with the ½ cup of sugar for 10 seconds in step 1 and add 2 teaspoons grated lime zest with the eggs.
For Peppermint Sugar Cookies – Process 20 peppermint candies in a food processor until course crumbs Sprinkle the crumbs on top of the cookies after flattening instead of the leftover sugar
Update Notes: This post was originally published on: January 28, 2016 and was republished with more information, photos and nutrition on November 14, 2016.