Button Cookies

By cooksalot

25 minutes active, 2 hours inactive to prepare about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cup flour, plus extra for work space
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 12 tablespoons butter, softened
• 6 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• Optional food coloring paste, in assorted colors

Preparation

Step 1

Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl.
Beat butter and cream cheese in separate bowl. Blend in sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg and beat until mixture is creamy.
Slowly add dry ingredients to form a soft dough, and divide into two batches. Add food coloring (if using) and refrigerate both bowls, covered, for about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly flour a workspace.
Roll dough to a thickness of about 1/8 inch, working with one batch at a time, and use a 2-inch round cutter to make cookies.
Poke four small holes in each button using toothpick or small prong, and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.
Place prepared cookies in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Bake in preheated oven about 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.