Cookie Cutter Sugar Cookies

You may have noticed that when I share recipes I often mention how there can be a lot of wiggle room when it comes to the specific measurements.  I'm not fond of precisely measuring out every ingredient when I cook.  I'm more of a dash of this and splash of that kind of chef.  That behavior doesn't fly when it comes to baking.  It's necessary to be precise when baking and since I enjoy making pretty baked goodies I have to suck it up and follow the instructions.  

 

I found this recipe for sugar cookies on Apartment Therapy: The Kitchn last Christmas and have made it several times since.  These are definitely worth the extra labor involved in making cookie cutter cookies.  To make the process feel less laborious I often make the dough and refrigerate over night, then roll and cut out the cookies the next day.  For Valentines Day I made these heart shaped cookies filled with raspberry preserves however I highly recommend sandwiching Nutella between two cookies.  So good.  Here is the recipe from Apartment Therapy; it makes a ton of cookies depending on the size of cutter used but the recipe can easily be halved. 

Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
between 8 and 12 dozen, depending on size

Ingredients: 

3 cups butter, softened at room temperature for an hour
3 cups sugar
3 eggs
6 ounces cream cheese (3/4 of a standard cream cheese package)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons lemon zest
9 cups flour
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and add the sugar. Cream until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until golden. Add the cream cheese and again beat until well incorporated. Add the flavorings and lemon zest.

Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl then add, bit by bit, to the butter/sugar mixture. 

Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour - preferably overnight.

Heat the oven to 350° F. Divide the dough into smaller balls and roll out 1/4 to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out cookies.

Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes, depending on thickness. You are looking for the bottoms to look slightly golden but do not want the cookies to take on much color.

Let cool before icing or decorating, and store in a tightly covered container.   

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