Easter Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Good Moday Morning everyone!
After a somewhat miserable weekend weather wise, we are having another lovely spring day here in SW Virginia.
In some of the areas surrounding where I live, golf ball sized hail fell this weekend and accumulated up to 4 inches!  What a huge mess it made.  We were very fortunate that we only got heavy rain from the storm system.

When the weather is nasty out I always find myself wanting to bake.  One of my favorite cookies is the Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie.  I started making these not long after I got married and they are soooo much better than a plain sugar cookie.  The cream cheese makes them so light and the almond flavoring is just delicious. 

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies:

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1.     In a large bowl, combine the sugar, butter, cream cheese, salt, almond and vanilla extracts, and egg yolk. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour until well blended. Chill the dough for 3 hours, or overnight.

2.     Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

3.     On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/3 at a time to 1/8 inch thickness, refrigerating remaining dough until ready to use. Cut into desired shapes with lightly floured cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Leave cookies plain for frosting, or brush with slightly beaten egg white and sprinkle with candy sprinkles or colored sugar.

4.     Bake for 7 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light and golden brown. Cool cookies completely before frosting.

The only change I make is to use the whole egg and not just the yolk since I wasn't going to use the egg white for a wash for sprinkles.  For the decorater frosting, I use the directions on the can of Wilton's Meringue Powder.

Give them a try.  You'll be glad you did!

Blessings

Linda