Weigh flour to avoid dry, tough cookies and prevent overmixing., Use softened butter at cool room temperature, not melted or very soft, to prevent spreading., Mix dough just until flour disappears to avoid chewy cookies., Chill logs thoroughly to keep slice shape and prevent spreading., Use a sharp or serrated knife for slicing, especially if add-ins are included., Rotate logs while slicing to maintain shape and cut even slices., Slightly thicker slices produce softer centers; thinner slices produce crisper edges., Pull cookies from oven when edges just start to color to avoid bitterness., Logs can be rolled on counter during chilling to smooth sides and ensure neat rounds., Cookies yield approximately 36, depending on slice thickness., Optional variations include lemon poppy seed, chocolate chip espresso, funfetti, cranberry orange pistachio, and cocoa swirl., Gluten-free adaptation: substitute 1:1 gluten-free baking blend by weight and add 1 extra tablespoon milk if dough is crumbly., Unbaked logs can be chilled up to 4 days in fridge or frozen for 2 months., Freeze baked cookies up to 2 months layered with parchment; refresh in 300°F oven for 4-5 minutes to re-crisp.