Delicious Sugar Cookie Recipe

What's that you say? A sugar cookie recipe? At Christmas time? Original, I know, but I had to share this one with you, it's super delicious. Buttery and and flavoured with lemon, almond and vanilla. I could eat them all day, except that I keep eating everything else and then I'm always full. Nom nom nom. I love Christmas.

This particular recipe I got from The Kitchn, and made these Melted Snowman cookies.

They were so good, I had to make the recipe again, so I could share with you. And so I could eat some more cookies.

Put a cup of sugar in a bowl and add a cup (or 9oz - who measures butter in cups anyway) of softened butter.

Cream them together until they are light and fluffy.

Then add an egg.

Mix it up again then add 2 oz cream cheese. Yes, I did say cream cheese.

Mix it up and add some flavouring.

Then mix that in and add three cups of flour (one at a time), some salt and some baking powder. By the time you get to the last cup you may have to get your hands dirty.

You should get some nice lovely dough.

Wrap it up in cling film (plastic wrap) and put it in the fridge for an hour, while you go to work, or over-night, depending on your time scale and life style etc.

When you take it out, it may be as Hard As A Rock. Mine was, so I had to slice the dough into smaller chunks for the next bit.

Place the dough on a floured surface.

Roll it out to about a quarter inch thick, then get your lovely dinky scalloped circle cutter and cut out an even number of circles - then you can stick these together to make little empire biscuits. Nom nom nom.

OR get your favourite gingerbread man/teddy. Cut out some teddies, and then use your scalloped circle cutter to take bites out of them. Your very own Already Been Chewed Cookies. What a treat!

This made three and a bit trays of cookies for me (45 in total) so I had to do them in batches. Cook at gas mark 5/350F for 8-12 minutes, depending on how pale or golden you want them to be. Mine are somewhat variable as I was not paying full attention. But they are good if they are soft or if they are crisp, so don't worry about it.

Cool them on a wire rack and then ice them as you prefer. If you can wait that long.

Store them in the fridge if you need them to last more than a few days.

Here's the proper recipe :)

Best Cut-Out Sugar Cookies between 36 and 48, depending on size
1 cup OR 9oz unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
zest and juice of half a lemon
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add in the egg, cream cheese and flavourings, beating after each.
Add the baking powder and the salt, and the flour one cup at a time.
Mix together to make a firm dough.
Wrap it in cling film (shrink wrap) and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Place the dough on a flour surface roll out to 1/4 inch thick.
Heat the oven to 350F or gas mark 5.
Cut the cookies with cookie cutters and place onto baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper.
Bake for 8-12 minutes, until pale or golden, as suits your preference.
Cool on a wire rack and ice when cold.
Store in an air-tight container, in the fridge if for more than a few days.

Love and Hugs.