White Velvet Cutouts Recipe

By dette

We make these cutouts every Christmas and give lots of them as gifts. Last year, we baked a batch a week all through December to be sure we'd have plenty for ourselves, too. These rich cookies melt in your mouth! — Kim Hinkle, Wauseon, Ohio

Ingredients

• BUTTER CREAM FROSTING:
• Ingredients
• 2 cups butter, softened
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 to 4 tablespoons 2% milk, divided
• Red and/or green food coloring, optional

Preparation

Step 1

Directions
In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Gradually add flour and mix well. Cover and chill 2 hours or until firm.
Roll out on a floured surface to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut into 3-in. shapes; place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set (not browned). Cool 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool.
For frosting, combine 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, butter, shortening, vanilla and 3 tablespoons milk in a large bowl; beat until smooth. Gradually add remaining sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add enough remaining milk and food coloring until frosting reaches desired consistency. Frost cookies. Yield: about 7 dozen.

Nutritional Facts
2 cookies equals 233 calories, 12 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 42 mg cholesterol, 114 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 2 g protein.