White Velvet Sugar Cookies

 From My Kitchen Cafe

Melanie:
"I know sugar cookie season has come and gone already with all the "sugar cookie" holidays pretty much over, but these are definitely worth sharing (and in my world sugar cookie season lasts all year). The secret to this recipe is cream cheese and egg yolks in the dough and it adds a whole new dimension to sugar cookies."
Me:
She's not kidding!! These are wonderful!! My new favorite! You can never have enough sugar cookies; there's always an occasion....Mine is "Saturday" :)

2 cups butter, softened
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 ¾ cups flour

Cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add sugar, egg yolks and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour.
The dough will be VERY soft; don't worry, it gets firmer after chilling. Cover and chill two hours or until firm.
Roll out on floured surface to ¼ inch thickness. Cut into shapes; place on greased baking sheets (or use parchment paper). Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until set (but not browned). Cool 5 minutes. Place on wire racks to cool.
Frost as desired.


Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
"This frosting is my absolute favorite sugar cookie frosting. It doesn't set-up and harden like some sugar cookie frostings - it stays very soft and gooey, perfect for sprinkling with colored sugar or nonpareils."

I thought this frosting was really good though I thought it would work better on a white cake then on cookies, but it was very pretty, I made a peach color with this and it was very light, fluffy and pretty.

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Set aside.
In another medium bowl, beat whipped cream until stiff peaks form (it helps to use a chilled bowl and chilled beaters - and make sure the peaks are stiff not soft). Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture and mix carefully (so as not to deflate cream) but well.
(Be careful if adding coloring - the liquid food coloring doesn't mix well with this frosting and can quickly thin your icing so you may need to add a bit more powdered sugar to compensate. I prefer to use Wilton's gel coloring but either will work.)

Sugar Cookie Frosting
"This is my basic, go-to sugar cookie frosting (aside from sneakily buying it in a can sometimes) and it is delicious - in a sugar cookie frosting way. "

1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
4-6 tablespoons milk
food coloring (if desired)

Combine butter, vanilla and salt and beat until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined. Add milk and food coloring gradually until you reach your desired spreading consistency.