One of my favorite holiday memories was making Christmas cut out cookies with my mom. She always used the recipe that her mom used, and they were amazing cookies. But I wanted to make my own version as I got older.
I have had many cut out cookies that used sour cream to make them soft but I wanted something a little different. For this recipe I used cream cheese, because lets face it, cream cheese is delicious. Instead of using the traditional vanilla extract, I swapped it out for almond extract. It just gives it a little different flavor twist that really levels these cookies up a bit. You can read about some of my other favorite extracts and pantry staples here.
What Ingredients Are Needed For Cut Out Cookies
This dough recipe doesn’t call for very many ingredients. You should have most, if not all of them on hand.
- Butter– Use real butter. Margarine or fake butter substitutes just don’t work well when baking. And make sure you soften to room temperature. Leave it out overnight if you have to, just don’t try and use the microwave. It will start to melt in some spots and change the consistency.
- Cream Cheese– This is what makes these cookies so soft and delicious. Leave this out overnight too if you need to. It needs to be softened to room temperature, but again, don’t microwave.
- Granulated white sugar– Your basic everyday sugar is all that’s needed.
- Egg– I use a large egg.
- Almond Extract– If this isn’t something you have on hand, vanilla extract is perfectly fine. I’ve made them both ways. The almond just gives it a little unexpected twist.
- Flour– Use regular all purpose flour.
- Baking Powder
Steps For Making Cookies
Combine butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer and beat on low to medium speed until fluffy.
Add sugar, egg and almond extract.
When all wet ingredients have been combined, slowly add the dry ingredients a little at a time. Even with the dry ingredients added, the dough should still be sticky.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. You could also put it in the freezer to shorten the chilling time.
On a well floured counter top, roll out the dough to desired thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.
Bake at 375° for 8-9 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool on wire rack until ready to decorate.
Frosted Holiday Cut Out Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter softened
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 3 1/2 cups flour all purpose
- 1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Combine butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer and beat on low to medium speed until fluffy.
- Add granulated sugar and continue mixing.
- When sugar is fully incorporated add egg and almond extract. Continue mixing on low to medium speed.
- In a separate bowl combine flour and baking powder.
- Lower the mixer speed to low and add flour mixture a little at a time.
- Continue adding flour until all is incorporated into the mixture. You may need to stop the mixer and scrape the sides down a few times to make sure all the ingredients are combined.
- When all the flour is fully combined, the dough will still seem very sticky. That is ok. It should be. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill until firm.
- Roll dough onto well floured counter top. Roll to desired thickness and cut out with your choice of cookie cutters.
- Bake at 375° on uncreased cookie sheets until bottom of cookies are light brown, about 8-9 minutes. Thinner cookies will take less time to bake.
- Let cookies cool before decorating.
- Use your favorite frosting recipe. Mine is simply combining powdered sugar with a little vanilla or almond extract and enough milk to make the desired consistency.