In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer.
Beat in egg and vanilla.
Mix baking powder and flour, add one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. The dough will be very stiff; blend last flour in by hand if you need to.
Do NOT chill dough.
Divide dough into 2 balls. On floured surface roll each ball 1/8 inch thick.
Dip cutters in flour before each use.
Bake cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet on top rack of oven for 6-7 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned ***took my cookies 11 minutes***