1.  Pre-heat the oven to 320F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon or in a food mixer. Until light and fluffy.
3. Sift in the flour gradually, and mix until the dough comes together.
4. Shape the dough into a sausage like shape, about 1inch in diameter, and cut off slices about .3 inch thick, and place them on the prepared baking tray. Use the back of a fork to slightly flatten them, and to give a ridged effect.
5. Then place the uncooked cookies in a fridge for 15 minutes. Then after that straight into the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes, or until a light golden colour. Placing them in the fridge will give you a shorter, crunchier texture.
6. Remove from the butter cookies oven and the baking tray and on to a cool rack.

VARIATIONS

ORANGE AND CINNAMON BUTTER COOKIES

Add 2 teaspoons of fresh orange zest and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the mix.

CHOCOLATE LEMON COOKIES

Add 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon zest to the mix. Once the cookies are baked and cooled, dip half of the cookies in melted dark or milk chocolate and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of lemon zest over the chocolate. Allow to set in a cool place.

FRESH ROSEMARY AND SEA SALT BUTTER COOKIES

Add 2 teaspoons of fresh rosemary, finely chopped to the mix. And sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sea salt over the cookies before you bake them.