Makes about 5 dozen

1. Combine butter and light-brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer; beat on high speed with the paddle attachment until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix to combine. Add flour and salt, and mix on low speed until flour is incorporated.

2. Roll dough into three 1 1/2-inch-diameter logs. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.

3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat. Roll cookie log in sugar, coating them evenly, and slice into 1/4-inch rounds. Place cookies on baking sheet about one inch apart. Using a cake tester or toothpick, make four decorative holes in each cookie. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven, and let cool completely on wire racks.

convinces most people that the French are the reigning culinary masters of butter. Since these sublime cookies rely on butter for much of their flavor, use the best quality creamery butter you can find. Martha likes to use unsalted Celles sur Belle butter, a brand imported from France that is now available in gourmet groceries around the country. For decorative effect, Martha pierces the top of each cookie to resemble button holes and sprinkles them with raw turbinado sugar before baking. The coarse, blond sugar crystals give a delicate molasses flavor and a shimmering finish to the baked cookies. The dough for these French butter cookies can be made a day or two in advance, and can be frozen in an airtight container for up to a month.