In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.
In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder and salt.
In three increments add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Completely mixing in between each addition.
Add the milk and vanilla extra, blending until the dough begins to come together (its still pretty flaky dough).
Separate the dough into 2 and press it together to make 2 compact disks. Wrap each with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll each disk out onto a lightly floured surface. Flour your rolling pin, and roll dough to 1/8 inch thick.
Cut out as many cookies as you can using two round cookie cutters, 1 about 2 inches and the smaller about 3/4-1 inch. Re roll dough and cut out more cookies until all dough is used.
Place cookies on a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
Bake cookies for about 10 minutes, rotating the baking after 5 minutes until the cookies are a very light golden brown color.
Transfer the cookies to a wire wrack immediately and allow to completely cool.