Christmas Cookies

I love to bake, and one of my favorite things to bake are sugar cookies.  There is just something that I find so relaxing about the whole thing and it really gets me into the holiday spirit. So I am going to give you my favorite cookie recipe, it is from one of my taste of home magazines, but I tweak it quite a bit.  I actually have two that I bake, so I guess I can give you both!

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies: (4 dozen)
1 c butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese

1 c sugar

1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 1/4 c flour
1/4 tsp baking soda

In a large bowl cream the butter, sugar, and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg yolk and extracts
Combine flour and baking soda, slowly add to the wet mixture.
Cover and Refrigerate until it is easy to handle (about 1-2 hrs)
On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough, and cut with cookie cutters!
Place on a baking stone or cookie sheet (I prefer the stone as it keeps them really soft)
Bake at 350 for about 10min. (I like mine pale still so they melt in your mouth, with no crunch, but firm enough that you can frost them.)
Cool and then Decorate as you wish!-This is my favorite part

Sugar Cookies:  6-8 dozen(depending on how much dough you eat in the process)
1 c butter, softened

1 c sugar

2 eggs

1/4 c half and half cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

3 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beat in the cream and the extract. Combine the dry ingred., then slowly add to the wet mixture.  Cover and refrigerate until easy to handle (1-2hrs).  On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough, and cut with cookie cutters.

Place on a baking stone, and bake at 325 for 6-8 min. Cool and then decorate as desired!