• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 half-sized baking sheets with parchment paper.

Make the Cookie Dough

• Place the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and whisk for about 30 seconds.
• Reserve 1/4 cup (50 grams) of the granulated sugar for rolling the cookie dough balls. Place the remaining sugar (1-1/4 cups/250 grams), butter, and vanilla bean paste in the bowl of a stand mixer.
• With the paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 30 seconds to combine the ingredients, then increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes until the mixture is creamy, well combined, and lighter in color. After the first minute, stop the mixer and scrape down the paddle attachment and the sides of the bowl. Mix for another minute. Scrape down the paddle attachment and the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• Add the egg yolks and egg white and mix on medium speed until the eggs are well incorporated. You need to mix for a while because the egg white is mostly water and you're trying to get the water in the egg white to emulsify with the fat of the butter. Scrape down the bowl.
• Add all the flour mixture at once. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix until the flour is incorporated and the dough forms into one large clump.

Bake the Cookies

• Place 1/4 cup sugar into a small bowl. Divide the dough into 1-1/2 tablespoon portions, about 42 grams each. Roll each piece in your hands into a ball and roll each ball in the sugar. Place 6 cookies on each baking sheet, evenly spaced apart.
• Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and the edges are slightly browned. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. As the cookies cool, they will deflate. Move the cookies to a wire rack to completely cool.
• Repeat with the remaining dough. If you only have one cookie sheet, let it cool completely before baking the next batch of cookies.
• At this point the cookies are ready to eat.

Storing the Cookies

• Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. The cookies are best if eaten within the first few days.

How to Freeze Unbaked Cookie Dough

• Portion and roll the cookie dough per the recipe directions, but do not roll in the sugar.
• Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze the cookies for at least 8 hours. Place the cookies in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Make sure to squeeze out as much air as possible from the freezer bag before sealing it tightly. Lay the bag flat in the freezer.
• Cookie dough can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Bake the cookies directly from the freezer. Add 2-3 minutes to the baking time to account for the dough being frozen.