Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Generally when I bake, I make biscuits, scones or muffins, as I prefer to limit my sugar intake and just so happen to be blessed with a preference for savory over sweet. Still, there are many sugary delights to experiment with and this is where friends and family come in. I can enjoy a little nibble of sweetness before the majority of the creation gets passed along to others.

And so these melt in your mouth cookies were born. It's been many months since I have embarked on the relatively easy, though rather time consuming process, of making a batch of cookies. The key to perfectly browned cookies is to use parchment paper rather than greasing your baking sheet. I've found that even my finest buttered baking sheet is outperformed by my oldest baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I've not yet burned any of my baked goods since my conversion to this no stick alternative to oil.

Cream Cheese Cookies

1 cup of butter, softened
3 ounces of cream cheese, softened
1 cup of sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 1/3 cups of unbleached white flour

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and cream with an electric mixer. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and beat for another minute or two. Now gradually add the flour, stirring to incorporate between each addition. Chill the dough for 20 - 30 minutes.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured board, roll the dough out to 1/4 thickness. Cut with a cookie cutter, transfer to prepared baking sheets, and gather up the scraps and repeat until no dough remains.

Bake the cookies until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

Makes 3 - 4 dozen cookies.