Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

• 1½ cups sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 80z package cream cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 3 ½ cup unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

toIn a mixing bowl cream sugar, butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add egg and flavorings, beat smooth. Stir together the flour and baking powder, add to creamed mixture and mix thoroughly. Chill dough. Roll out on surface dusted with a mixture of ½ powdered sugar and ½ flour.  Roll ¼ to ½ inch thick depending on your preference. Cut into desired shapes. Place on ungreased cookie sheet lined with parchment and bake in at 375° for 8-10 minutes, watching for the edges to just barely begin to brown. Cool and Frost.   This recipe can also be used for rolled, pressed or shaped cookies.  Brush with egg white to decorate cookies which are not iced.

Cut Out Cookie Icing 

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoons soft butter
• ¼  teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 egg white
• ¼ cup milk or heavy cream

Combine egg white and milk, set aside. Beat together powdered sugar, butter and flavorings. Add small amounts of the milk mixture until icing is spreading consistency. Tint with desired colors.