The Favorite Sugar Cookie Recipe

I guess since the flower shaped sugar cookie gets its own picture I had better include the recipe. It is one I ran across at Christmas time in the America's Test Kitchen Cookbook.

Holiday Cut Out Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup superfine sugar (I just use regular granulated)
3/4 tsp. salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces softened (I just stand by the mixer and cut in little pieces as it mixes and it works fine.
2 Tablespoons cream cheese softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Beat the butter into the flour mixture one piece at a time with an electric mixer on medium low speed, then continue to beat until mixture looks crumbly and slightly wet, 1-2 minutes. Beat in the cream cheese and vanilla until the dough clumps about 30 seconds.
2. Knead to make dough into a cohesive clump. Divide dough in half and pat into two 4 inch discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out dough and cut out into shapes.
4. Space cookies on cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 minutes until light golden brown.
5. When cooled decorate with glaze (recipe to follow)


Glaze

3 Tablespoons whole milk (skim works fine)
1 Tablespoon cream cheese
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Whisk 2 tablespoons of milk and cream cheese until smoothe. Add sugar and whisk until smooth. Add remaining milk until glaze is thin enough to spread easily.

With the glaze I put some in a frosting bag and pipe around the edges of the cookies. I then go back and fill in the cookies with the glaze using a spoon.

To be honest these cookies are a lot like shortbread and are better the next day!