Cooking for Yuletide-Part Two: Soft Sugar Cookie Cutouts

So I spent some serious time making a lot of cookies.  Sugar cookies to be exact.  I saw a recipe that looked so good I had to give it a go. 

Now to be honest, I'm not big on sugar cookies.  Most are too hard for my preferences.  This recipe, however, claimed to be soft.  The problems I've had in the past with soft sugar cookies is that they don't retain their shape very well.  It's fine if you're just cutting out circles but I had something a bit more Yule-ish in mind. 

I got some wonderful Yule cookie cutters from Hemslojd, a sweet little import shop in Little Sweden, USA aka Lindsborg, KS., a few years ago.  In Swedish tradition, there was a Dala horse, a Julebuck, a pig, and a heart.  So as you can see, I needed a recipe that would really hold up when baked.

The good news is this recipe is perfect.  The cookies are tender yet firm and the shapes stayed exactly as they should.  The most difficult part was the amount of time it took to make, chill, roll, cut, bake and decorate.  Yeah, it was an effort but Yum!  They are beautiful to look and delicious too.

This is where I got the recipe.  Obviously it's difficult to tell you how many it will make.  It all depends on the size of your cookie cutters.  I ended up with quite a few, probably about 4 dozen. 

Soft Sugar Cookie Cut Outs
adapted from Taste of Home
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 egg yolks
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Buttercream Frosting:
3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons milk, divided
food coloring, optional

 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.

Add sugar, egg yolks and vanilla; mix well.

Gradually add flour.

Cover and chill 2 hours or until firm.

Roll out on a floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness.

Cut into 3-inch shapes.

Place 1 inch apart on parchment (or foil) lined baking sheets. 

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until set (not browned). Cool 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool.

Sorry, I forgot to take a pictures of the steps for the frosting. 

For frosting, combine 1-1/2 cups sugar, butter, vanilla and 3 tablespoons milk in the bowl of an electric mixer; beat until smooth. Gradually add remaining sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add enough remaining milk and food coloring (if using) until frosting reaches desired consistency. Frost and decorate cookies.