Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

I thought I'd put up the cream cheese sugar cookie recipe that I'd found last Christmas.  I normally don't post recipes unless I really and I mean REALLY like them.  These are very fragile once cooked, I'm assuming it's due to the amount of cream cheese.  They fall apart quite easily if you're not careful with them.  (I had many candy canes missing their hooks last Christmas)  This is not a recipe I made up, I found it on the website http://allrecipes.com/

8 oz cream cheese

1 1/2 cups of white sugar

1 cup unsalted (unsalted is important) butter

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, butter, cream cheese, baking powder, vanilla and almond extracts, and egg.  Beat until smooth.  Stir in flour until well blended.  Chill the dough for 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375.

On lightly floured surface roll out the dough 1/3 at a time to 1/8 inch thickness, refrigerating remaining dough until ready to use. Cut into desired shapes with lightly floured cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Leave cookies plain for frosting, or brush with slightly beaten egg white and sprinkle with candy sprinkles or colored sugar.

Bake for 7 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light and golden brown. Cool cookies completely before frosting.

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This is the frosting I use on these.  This doesn't harden well but I find it tastes best with these cookies over all other frostings. 

4 cups of confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup butter

5 tablesppons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

food coloring if desired

In a large bowl, cream together the confectioners' sugar and butter until smooth. Gradually mix in the milk and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about 5 minutes. Color with food coloring if desired.  I reccomend putting the butter in the bowl first and then VERY slowly adding the sugar, otherwise you may get clumps.  My first attempt at this recipe had major clumps and I had to start all over again.