White Velvet Cutouts

Name: White Velvet Cutouts
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: about 5-1/2 dozen.
Ingredients: 2 cups butter, softened; 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened; 2 cups sugar; 2 large egg yolks; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour; FROSTING:; 3 tablespoons butter, softened; 1 tablespoon shortening; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar; 4 to 5 tablespoons 2% milk; Food coloring, optional

We make and decorate these cutouts for different holidays and give lots of them as gifts. Last year, we baked a batch a week before Christmas to be sure we'd have plenty to give and plenty for ourselves, too. These rich cookies melt in your mouth. —Kim Hinkle, Wauseon, Ohio

Ingredients

2 cups butter, softened
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
FROSTING:
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon shortening
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 to 5 tablespoons 2% milk
Food coloring, optional

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Gradually beat flour into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or until firm enough to roll.
Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with floured 3-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set (do not brown). Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
For frosting, in a bowl, beat butter, shortening and vanilla until blended. Beat in confectioners’ sugar and enough milk to reach spreading consistency; beat 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. If desired, beat in food coloring. Frost cookies. (Keep frosting covered with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.)

Nutrition Facts

1 cookie: 149 calories, 8g fat (5g saturated fat), 26mg cholesterol, 62mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (13g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.

Originally published as White Velvet Cutouts in Taste of Home December/January 1997

Reviews

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Average Rating:

Vee

Dec 10, 2018

I love the taste and they were so easy to shape with the cool dough tip ,thank you
casc71

Apr 8, 2018

I have been making these for years and they are the best!!!! Some reviews said the dough is sticky, that is why you refrigerate it,I always refrigerate it overnight. I always divide into 3 balls. After cutting out I refrigerate leftover dough to chill and roll out again, This is the best cutout cookie recipe ever!!!!
brianneosborn

Dec 20, 2017

These were easy to roll and cut, and the texture is wonderful, but I find them to be bland. I didn’t think 1 tsp of vanilla sounded like enough, so I used 1 TBS of good Mexican vanilla; I imagine they’d be near flavorless if I’d have stuck with the 1 tsp.I really wanted to love these, but I’ll have to keep looking.
lollyfox

Dec 16, 2017

Best cutout cookies ever, refrigerate the dough before you roll it....like the recipe says....then it isn’t sticky.
7spoons

Nov 28, 2017

Make multiple batches every year. My families hands down favorite. I have never had an issue with this recipe. Before I roll, cut and bake I refrigerate it overnight. I use a little cream cheese in the frosting as well,
2124arizona

Jun 18, 2017

These are our all-time favorite Christmas cookie. My kids can't even wait for me to frost fhem!!
bakingmad

Feb 14, 2017

Like a below reviewer, I also made half the recipe. I added extra flour and the dough was still very sticky, thus my four star rating. The end result was delicious cookies, but I doubt I'll use this recipe again for cutout cookies. If I do make it again, I think I'll have an easier time rolling the dough into balls and flattening them slightly before baking.
shereeder

Dec 17, 2016

Have made these for a number of years also. Maybe if Deborah hadn't tried to make only a half of a batch, the recipe would have worked out. If they are too sticky, a little extra flour can sometimes help. Love these and the cream cheese keep them so soft.
Deborah

Dec 10, 2016

Disaster of a recipe.... don't try this.... was a sticky sticky mess. I did as I normally do with roll out cookies... I roll out the dough between 2 sheets of parchment and put in refrig for an hour... tried to cut out the cookies and it was such a sticky mess... could not get the cookies onto the pan to bake them... will never, never try this recipe again.... good thing I did half the recipe..I ended up throwing the dough in the trash... I will go and use another recipe...
trisha25a

Jun 1, 2016

Everyone always goes crazy about these cookies!