The earliest time I can remember cutting out and decorating cookies was at Christmas time when we were living in Washington. I can remember thinking that we had so many cookies and it would never end! Haha I always loved frosting the angels or snowmen because then you could make them into people and play with them. Holidays are always better when there are sugar cookies! So go ahead and make heart cookies for Valentine’s Day, shamrocks for St Patrick’s Day, ghosts/pumpkins for Halloween and reindeer/snowmen for Christmas!!

This recipe is so great to use because of how easy it is to roll out. The butter/cream cheese makes it so that you could almost roll it out with just your hands. The dough is holds it shape and the cookie stays soft! I normally double the batch if I’m making it with another family or giving some away. If it’s just one family then just do one normal batch. The cookies freeze great. Just bag them up after baking and frost when thawed about to serve.

Ingredients

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 cup + 2 TBS sugar
• 2 oz cream cheese softened
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Frosting
• 1 cup butter softened
• 4 cups powered sugar
• 2 TBS heavy cream or milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 4 oz cream cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Cream together butter and sugar. You will want to cream it for 2-4 minutes to make sure that it is light and fluffy.
2. Add in the cream cheese. Mix until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix.
4. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined and makes a soft dough.
5. Lightly flour a cookie sheet or baking mat. Roll out the dough flat on the mat. (This makes it easier to roll out after chilling).
6. CHILL IN FRIDGE for at least 30 minutes-1 hour. Best if chilled over night.
7. Preheat oven to 350
8. Sprinkle flour over table or surface where the dough will go.
9. Roll out dough to desired thickness.
10. Cut out cookie shapes. Place on a lined or grease cookie sheet. Continue to roll out dough until all the dough has been used.
11. Bake in oven for 7-9 minutes. You want to edges to be lightly golden but the middle to still be soft.
12. Let cool.
13. Frosting – cream butter and cream cheese for 4 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to mix for 2 minutes. Divide up and add food coloring if desired.
14. Frost and enjoy!!

(Hint #1- I take the cookies out when the shiny top turns into a matte looking top. If the cookies are thicker, you might not even get a colored edge and that’s ok. As long as it isn’t too flimsy when taken off the sheet)

(Hint #2- this is a LIFESAVER!! Set up a “sprinkle station” and let the kids go to town with the sprinkles as long as it’s over the cookie sheet. This contained most of the sprinkles and then all I have to do was lift up my baking mat and pour them into a “surprise sprinkle” cup!)

(Hint #3- divide up the frosting in DISPOSABLE BOWLS! Because nobody likes to clean up hard frosting and so you just have to toss it out when finished!)

Can we just appreciate how many eyeballs and sprinkles are on these two cookies!! Now that means someone had a GOOD time!!