Place the flour, sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl.

Add the butter in cubes and the egg yolk, then mix until crumbly.

Add 1 tablespoon of cold water and knead by hand until you have a firm dough ball; if the dough is too dry, add a little extra water, or add a little flour if it is too sticky.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 347°F.

Lightly flour a work surface, roll out the dough with a rolling pin, and cut out shapes using cookie cutters.

Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between them, and bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the tray.

Store the cookies in an airtight tin (optionally with a piece of paper towel on the bottom) so they stay crisp.