Cream Cheese Cut Out Cookies
These Cream Cheese Cut-Out Cookies are perfect for any occasion! The cream cheese adds richness, making each bite soft, tender, and full of flavor.
Recipe and image compliments of Brit from Whisked Away Kitchen
Cream Cheese Cut Out Cookies
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Cut Out Cookies
- 12 tablespoons Hiland Unsalted Butter softened
- 4 ounces Hiland Cream Cheese softened
- 1 cup 200 grams granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups 390 grams all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 tablespoons Hiland Unsalted Butter softened
- 4 ounces Hiland Cream Cheese softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1.5-2 cups 180-240 grams powdered sugar
- Gel food coloring if desired
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy.
- Add the granulated sugar and mix until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4-inch thickness.
- Use cookie cutters to shape the dough, then transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets. Gather the scraps, re-roll the dough and repeat as necessary.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until the edges are just barely starting to turn light golden brown.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the frosting. Beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and salt, and mix until incorporated. Gradually add the powdered sugar, starting with 1.5 cups and adding more to reach your desired consistency and sweetness.
- Add food coloring to the frosting if desired. Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cookies.
Top them with creamy frosting for a sweet finish everyone will be sure to love
Perfect for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or holidays, these cookies are a hit. Cream cheese makes the dough soft and flavorful in each and every bite.
Why We Love This Recipe
There’s something so nostalgic about cut-out sugar cookies, and these ones are next level thanks to the addition of Hiland Cream Cheese. The cookies are soft and buttery with just the right amount of sweetness, while the cream cheese frosting brings them to perfection. Plus, they’re incredibly versatile—cut out fun shapes and decorate them however you like. They’ll be the highlight of any celebration!
Ingredient Notes
Hiland Unsalted Butter: Softened butter is key to achieving a smooth and creamy dough. To soften butter quickly, you can heat it in the microwave at 50% power in 20 second intervals.
Hiland Cream Cheese: The cream cheese gives these cookies a slight tanginess, making them extra rich and soft. It also gives the cookie dough a beautiful consistency, making it a dream to work with!
Granulated Sugar: This helps create a light, sweet dough with the right balance of tenderness.
Flour: Be sure to spoon and level your flour to avoid packing it into the measuring cup, which can lead to dense cookies.
Baking Powder: Baking powder adds a little lift, making these cookies light and airy.
Vanilla and Almond Extracts: The vanilla provides classic flavor, while the almond extract adds a subtle hint of warmth and nuttiness.
Step by Step Instructions
- Make the dough: Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cookies tough. Once the dough forms, cover it and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This makes the dough easier to roll out and helps the cookies hold their shape while baking.
- Cut out the cookies: Lightly flour your work surface to roll out the dough, ensuring it doesn’t stick. Roll the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Keep your rolling pin lightly floured and flour the dough as necessary. Use cookie cutters to shape the dough into your desired designs. If the dough feels too soft to cut, return it to the fridge for a few more minutes to firm up.
- Bake the cookies: Transfer the shaped dough to your prepared baking sheets. Space the cookies about 1 inch apart, as they won’t spread much. Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until the edges just start to turn light golden brown. The cookies will still be quite pale.
- Make the frosting: While the cookies cool, make the cream cheese frosting. If you want thicker frosting, add more powdered sugar; for a lighter, spreadable texture, use less.
- Frost the cookies: Once the cookies have completely cooled, spread or pipe the frosting onto each cookie. You can use a knife or offset spatula for a smooth finish, or get creative with piping tips for more detailed designs. If you want to color the frosting, divide it into separate bowls and add a few drops of gel food coloring to each, mixing until you reach the desired shade.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Chill Your Dough: It’s essential to chill the dough before rolling it out. This helps the cookies hold their shape while baking and makes them easier to cut.
- Rolling Tips: If the dough gets too sticky while rolling, simply dust your rolling pin and work surface with a little more flour.
- Don’t Overbake: To get soft sugar cookies, make sure you pull them out of the oven when you can just barely see a hint of golden brown around the edges. The cookies will still look very pale – this is what we want! It’ll make sure they’re nice and soft.
- Double the Frosting: The frosting recipe makes enough to cover the cookies in a thin layer. If you love a lot of frosting, I suggest doubling the frosting recipe.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
These sugar cookies can easily be made ahead of time. Once the dough is chilled, you can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 1 month.
After baking, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Make these cookies for your next celebration—they’re rich, tender, and so delicious!
Serving Ideas
Here are some fun ideas to adapt these sugar cookies to any season or holiday:
- Have fun with shapes. I used hearts for Valentine’s Day, but you can also use bunnies for Easter, pumpkins for Halloween, or snowflakes for Christmas. The options are endless!
- Play with colors. Gel food coloring is my go-to for vibrant hues without affecting the consistency of the frosting. Mix and match colors to come up with your own color scheme!
- Sprinkle on some magic. Add sprinkles or sanding sugar for an extra pop of color and texture.
For more delicious recipes, visit Hiland Dairy’s recipe page.
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