Like many Christian families, we enjoy making Christmas cookies and candies in preparation for the holiday. We have a fun time making them together and also packaging them up to give out to friends and family. I will have a few additional posts this season with some other recipes and ideas, but this one is specifically for my friend Jessica, who requested that I put this up on my blog. I believe I first made her these cutout cookie sandwiches for her office baby shower many years ago (seven??). Yes, I do make these for other occasions in different shapes, but for the most part I make them at Christmastime. I also sometimes do not make them into sandwiches and just keep them as plain cutout cookies. I have another butter cookies recipe I do make at times, too, which is harder in texture, but these ones are one of my favorites because they are such a soft cookie that retains its shape for ease in cutting and baking. Enjoy!
1c. butter
3oz. cream cheese
3/4c. sugar
1tsp. vanilla
1 egg
3c. flour
1/8tsp. salt
About 1c. lemon curd, seedless raspberry jam or apricot jam
powdered sugar
Beat butter, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and egg in large bowl with an mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Stir in flour and salt until blended. Cover and refrigerate for 2-6 hours. Heat oven to 375. Roll a fourth of the dough at a time to 1/8" thickness on a lightly floured board. Cut dough with cutters and place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until very light brow and set Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. When cool, make cookies into sandwiches by putting 1/2tsp. jam or curd on the bottom cookie and covering with another. Mix approximately 2c. powdered sugar with 1/4c. water. You may add a dash of almond or vanilla extract, if desired. Fill a pastry bag or a Ziploc with the corner snipped with the icing. The consistency should be stiff enough to not spread out when a line is drawn but thin enough to be able to easily write. You may also opt to just spread icing on the cookies instead of outlining and using the writing tip to decorate. In either case, sprinkle with colored sugars very quickly after the icing is put onto the cookie and shake off the excess. Let dry completely and enjoy!
Beautifully decorated! ;)
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