Description
Delicate soft sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting offer classic comfort from midwestern kitchens. Sweet layers of nostalgia blend buttery cookie textures with rich, tangy frosting that pulls you back to cherished family gatherings.
Ingredients
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter (for frosting)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (for cake)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (for cake)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- sprinkles (optional)
- food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Mix Foundation: Whip butter and sugar until fluffy and pale, blending eggs and vanilla and almond extracts thoroughly to create a smooth base.
- Create Dough: Sift flour, baking powder, and salt, then delicately incorporate into wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to maintain tender cookie texture.
- Chill Preparation: Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for one hour to solidify structure and intensify flavor profile.
- Prepare Workspace: Preheat oven to 350F (175C), line baking sheets with parchment paper, and dust work surface with flour. Roll chilled dough to quarter-inch thickness.
- Shape and Bake: Cut desired cookie shapes, positioning them on prepared trays with adequate spacing. Bake 8-10 minutes until edges set but not browned, allowing brief cooling on tray before transferring to wire rack.
- Craft Frosting: Blend cream cheese and butter until silky, gradually introducing powdered sugar to develop creamy consistency. Enhance with vanilla extract and adjust texture with milk, adding optional food coloring for visual interest.
- Finish Cookies: Once completely cooled, lavishly spread frosting across cookies and decorate with sprinkles as desired.
Notes
Chill Dough Thoroughly: Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to prevent spreading and ensure cookies maintain their shape during baking.
Avoid Overmixing: Gently fold dry ingredients to prevent tough, dense cookies by maintaining a light, tender texture.
Perfect Rolling Technique: Roll dough to consistent 1/4-inch thickness for even baking and uniform cookie appearance.
Customize Creatively: Experiment with different extract flavors like lemon or orange to personalize the cookie’s taste profile and add unique character.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 265
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg