desserts: this is from another site. i have tried it with butterscotch chips and currents. they ran out pretty fast during parties. don't know if the best but i reckon it's a good recipe to keep.

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Butter Cookies

Adjuncts: Candied fruit, currants, dried cranberries, minced dried cherries, miniature chocolate or butterscotch chips, oatmeal, substitute other flavor extracts (i.e. black walnut, mint), food colorings, all brown sugar. Classic cutouts, frosted cookies, chocolate pinwheels.

1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons, light brown sugar or golden sugar
3/4 cup (6 oz. by weight) unsalted butter, softened
4 tablespoons (2 oz. by weight) vegetable shortening
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons light cream
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla
tiny pinch salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (unbleached preferably)
1/4 cup cornstarch

Cream the sugar with the butter and shortening until lightened and pasty in consistency. In a measuring cup, stir together the egg yolks, vanilla and cream. Blend into creamed butter mixture.

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt, cornstarch and baking powder. Stir dry ingredients gently (if using electric mixer use slowest speed and watch that mixture doesn't billow). Mix on slow speed about 18-20 seconds until mixture begins to clump together.

Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently to shape into a soft dough (a few hand motions). (If using as a spritz dough or using a pastry bag, do not knead. Simply load spritz tube or pastry bag).

Bake at 350 F.