Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and sugar. Cut in shortening until course. Blend in egg, milk and vanilla. Roll out on powdered sugared board. Cut with cookie cutters; place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for almost 8 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets to a cooling rack. Cool completely. Decorate as desired.
Use 1/2 cup less flour for drop cookies. For drop cookies, use 1 tablespoon dough and roll into a ball. Then dip one side in a colored sugar and place sugar side up on cookie sheets. Bake for almost eight minutes as above.
