Sugar Cookies

These look like ordinary sugar cookies, but they are astonishingly scrumptious. The secret is in the kind of sugar.

2 c. flour
¹/2 tsp. baking powder
¹/4 tsp. salt
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. evaporated cane sugar* plus ¹/2 c. more for rolling
1 egg
1 ¹/2 tsp. vanilla extract

* Evaporated cane sugar is sometimes called turbinado sugar. It has a subtle but complex flavor since it is unrefined. It is available at most supermarkets and health food stores. If you have a selection to choose from, use a coarser-crystalled sugar, which will improve the crunch of the cookie coating. Do not use sucanat, which is different.

Preheat oven to 375ºF, with rack in center position. In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and 1 c. sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well blended. Stir in the flour mixture until a well-mixed dough is formed. Form dough into 1" balls and roll in sugar. Place balls on ungreased cookie sheet spacing them 2" apart. Bake until cookies are golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 3 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.