Sand Tarts

Preparation Stir together butter and 1 cup sugar vigorously with a wooden spoon in a large bowl until combined well, then stir in whole egg and vanilla until smooth. Add flour and stir until just incorporated. Transfer dough to a 24-inch-long sheet of wax paper. Using sheet as an aid, roll dough into a 12-inch-long log (2 inches wide). Chill, wrapped in wax paper, until firm, at least 4 hours. Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets with additional butter. Stir together cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Cut chilled log crosswise into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick slices, arranging slices about 1 inch apart to fill both baking sheets (chill remainder of log wrapped in wax paper). Lightly brush sliced cookies with some egg white, then sprinkle with some of cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes total. Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough, cooling and greasing baking sheets between batches. Cooks' notes:•Dough can be chilled up to 5 days, or frozen, wrapped in wax paper and foil, 1 month. Transfer frozen dough to refrigerator to thaw slightly, at least 2 hours, before slicing. •Cookies can be baked 1 week ahead and cooled completely, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Preparation Stir together butter and 1 cup sugar vigorously with a wooden spoon in a large bowl until combined well, then stir in whole egg and vanilla until smooth. Add flour and stir until just incorporated. Transfer dough to a 24-inch-long sheet of wax paper. Using sheet as an aid, roll dough into a 12-inch-long log (2 inches wide). Chill, wrapped in wax paper, until firm, at least 4 hours. Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets with additional butter. Stir together cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Cut chilled log crosswise into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick slices, arranging slices about 1 inch apart to fill both baking sheets (chill remainder of log wrapped in wax paper). Lightly brush sliced cookies with some egg white, then sprinkle with some of cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes total. Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough, cooling and greasing baking sheets between batches. Cooks' notes:•Dough can be chilled up to 5 days, or frozen, wrapped in wax paper and foil, 1 month. Transfer frozen dough to refrigerator to thaw slightly, at least 2 hours, before slicing. •Cookies can be baked 1 week ahead and cooled completely, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature.