In the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar.

In a separate bowl beat the egg and vanilla until light and fluffy (I'm not convinced we need to do this step but my grandma did. Will she strike me down if I take a shortcut? Only one way to find out). Add egg mixture to the butter mixture and combine.

In a separate bowl stir together the dry ingredients then add to the butter mixture and combine well. Roll dough into a log 9-inches long and 1 1/2-inches wide, then wrap waxed paper, and chill 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut dough into 1/4-inch slices and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown on the edges about 10 to 12 minutes.