Sugar Sand Cookies

Directions

1. 1
   Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Stir in vanilla. Gradually add flour to butter mixture, beating well at low speed until blended.
2. 2
   Sprinkle sugar on wax paper. Shape dough into 2 (6 1/2-inch) logs on sugar; roll logs in sugar. Wrap each log in wax paper, and chill 4 hours. (Freeze dough in zip-top plastic freezer bags up to 1 month, if desired. Thaw 10 minutes before slicing.)
3. 3
   Cut each log into 28 slices, and place 1 inch apart on lightly greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
4. 4
   Bake, in batches, at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden. Let cool on pans 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks, and let cool completely.
5. 5
   Ginger Sand Dollar: Stir 1/2 cup crystallized candied ginger, finely chopped, into batter. Cut logs into slices, sprinkle each with sugar, and arrange 5 slivered almonds in a star design to resemble sand dollars. Slice and bake as directed. Makes about 5 dozen.
6. 6
   Nantucket Cranberry-White Chocolate Cookies: Stir 1 cup dried cranberries and 1 cup white chocolate morsels into batter. Slice and bake as directed. Drizzle 6 ounces white chocolate, melted, over cooled cookies; sprinkle with nonpareils. Let stand until chocolate is firm. Makes about 5 dozen.
7. 7
   Note: Bake time is per batch.