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, room temperature; 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

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 25 min. + chilling Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling YIELD: about 5-1/2 dozen.

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, room temperature
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

1. In a large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Gradually beat flour into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 2 hours.
2. 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 until set (do not brown), 10-12 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
3. For frosting, in a bowl, beat butter, shortening and vanilla until blended. Beat in confectioners’ sugar and enough milk to reach spreading consistency; beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 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.