Sandy's Sugar Cookies

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or 175 degrees Celsius for those using metric measurements). To prevent sticking, cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Sift these dry ingredients together to ensure they're evenly blended.

Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and white sugar in a large mixing bowl until it reaches a light and fluffy consistency. Add the vanilla extract to this mixture, blending well before adding the next ingredient.

One at a time, add eggs to the butter mixture and beat well after each addition. Gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the butter mixture on low speed, stopping when the dough is just combined.

Divide the dough into four equal portions and refrigerate three of them. Roll out the remaining portion to a thickness of 1/4 inch on a lightly-floured surface. Use cookie cutters to shape the dough into your desired shapes and transfer them to a prepared baking sheet.

Bake these cookies in the preheated oven until they're slightly golden around the edges, taking 10 to 12 minutes. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat this process with the remaining dough portions.