Valentine's Day Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

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I now have mad respect for all of the cookie artists/decorators out there. This took me like 5 separate attempts, a lot of dirty dishes and much patience lost. 

Overall, this batch turned out to be my favorite. I mean how can you go wrong with cream cheese sugar cookies? If you enjoy the recipe below, let me know how yours turn out! Tag me @hungrygirlsdoitbetter.

DOUGH Ingredients  

  • 8 ounces of cream cheese (the regular kind nothing skinny) - room temp

  • 2 sticks of butter (I prefer Kerrygold - salted)

  • 1 cup of sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla

  • 4 cups of flour

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Use parchment paper.

  • I use my Kitchen Aid mixer. Add the cream cheese, butter, salt, and sugar

  • Turn your mixer on a low speed. Don’t mix for too long.

  • Add the cold egg and the vanilla. Make sure egg is chilled.

  • Turn your mixer on a low speed and mix in eggs and vanilla.

  • Add Flour

  • Mix again but not for too long

  • Make sure dough is not sticky

  • Dust parchment paper with flour

  • Roll out dough and cut into your desired shape - I used these heart-shaped ones from Target ($3)

  • Bake for 12-14 minutes. Don’t let the cookies burn!!!!!!

ICING Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cup powdered sugar

  • 2 Tablespoons warm water

  • ½ Tablespoon light corn syrup

  • ⅛ teaspoon almond extract

  • Food coloring of choice

Instructions

  • Place powdered sugar in a medium bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, combine warm water, light corn syrup, and extract. Stir until corn syrup is dissolved.

  • Add sugar water to powdered sugar and stir until completely blended. Mixture will be thick. If it’s too thick add more water (just a little) if it’s too thin add more powdered sugar.

  • Mix in desired food coloring (i love these - neutral colors not super bright!)

  • Fill a piping bag and cut a very very very small slit at the bottom

  • Start decorating!!!

Megan Roth