Little Ships

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the lard until smooth and fluffy, then blend in the confectioner's sugar, vanilla, and salt until well combined.

Gradually add flour to the lard mixture, stirring until a soft, pliable dough forms that holds its shape without being sticky; add flour as needed to achieve the correct consistency.

Using a spoon or your hands, drop or shape small portions of dough into small boat or oval shapes roughly 1 to 1.5 inches long and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about an inch apart.

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven until they are set and just barely golden on the bottom, being careful not to over-brown them.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

While the cookies are still slightly warm, generously dust them with vanilla-flavored confectioner's sugar, then dust again once fully cooled for a thorough coating.