Cream Cheese Cutouts

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
• milk

Recipe

• 1 in a large mixer bowl combine butter and cream cheese. beat until well combined. add sugar; beat until fluffy. add egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat well.
• 2 in a medium bowl stir together flour and baking powder. add flour mixture to cream cheese mixture; beat until well mixed. divide dough in half. cover and chill in the refrigerator about 1 1/2 hours or until dough is easy to handle.
• 3 on a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. cut with desired cookie cutters. place on an ungreased cookie sheet. bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until done. remove to wire racks; cool.
• 4 sift icing sugar into a bowl, beat in maraschino cherry juice and enough milk until of piping consistency. for spreadable icing, add a little more milk. stir in a few drops of food coloring, if desired.
• 5 pipe or spread almond frosting onto cooled cookies.
• 6 garnish with more colored sugar, dragees or nuts, if desired.