Molding Dough Cookies

Submitted by Kat Wood

"Sugar Cookie or Christmas Cookie dough that is easy to make, easily manipulate and uniquely flavored. We like the buttery and slightly tangy flavor of the cream cheese and the texture of these cookies. You don't even have to roll out the dough--you can just pat it down into a square and use cookie cutters from there. Any time I do decorator cookies, this is the recipe I use because of the flavor and ease of preparation."

 

• Ready In: 25mins
• Ingredients: 6
• Yields: 2 dozen

ingredients

• 3 ounces cream cheese, completely softened
• 1⁄2 cup butter (not margarine, completely softened)
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 2⁄3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

directions

1. Work time is an estimate. Mixing the dough requires little or no time, it's the roll out and cutting that is time consuming.
2. Combine all ingredients except flour.
3. Note here: 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese or Neufachtel is fine, but fat free doesn't work as well. Also, while most cooks agree Philadelphia is the best cream cheese, this recipe is not as temperamental as cheese cake recipes so off brand cream cheese works fine.
4. Stir by hand until well blended. Add flour, stirring until dough forms a ball. Knead in a bowl or on a floured surface, 1-3 minutes, adding additional flour until smooth and pliable, and not sticky.
5. Roll out or press into 1/4 inch thick (or however thick you prefer your cookies to be)rectangle on floured surface and cut into shapes with favorite cookie cutters. Or, the dough can be shaped by hand. Mom made little "nests" at Easter and filled then with white frosting, green coconut, and egg shaped M&Ms. The dough can also be pressed into candy molds, removed and baked into those shapes.
6. Bake at 350 on ungreased cookie sheets until edges are light brown. 5-10 minutes. Don't over bake. Remove carefully from cookie sheets. When cool, ice as desired, or leave plain.