Cream Cheese Cookies

This is a recipe my family makes every Christmas.  I make a variety of cookies at Christmastime and these are always the most popular.  Cream cheese makes everything taste better, doesn't it?  These cookies are much faster to make than sugar cookies because you use a cookie press to shape the cookies instead of rolling out the dough and using cookie cutters. A cookie press is only about $20 and definitely worth the investment.

You will need:
1/2 lb butter (2 sticks)
3 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla

Step 1:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Then mix the butter and cream cheese with a mixer. Using dough hooks is recommended. Add the sugar and vanilla. Slowly add the flour.

Step 2:
Add in food coloring if you like.  I add green food coloring and then use the cookie press to make Christmas tree cookies.

Step 3:
Then use a cookie press to form the cookies.  Sometimes if the dough is too warm the cookie press doesn't work.  So put the dough in the fridge for about 5 minutes.  Also, if the cookie sheet just came out of the oven, let it cool for a couple minutes because the cookie press doesn't work well if the cookie sheet is really hot.  Let the cookies cool down on the sheet for a minute before removing them, less will break this way.

The recipe says to use a greased baking sheet, but I used an ungreased non-stick and it worked great.
Keep a close eye on the cookies, they will bake in 4-6 minutes.

Frosting:
1/3 cup butter (at room temperature)
3 cups powered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon (or more) milk
Use more milk for a smoother consistency.
** You will only need a half batch of this frosting for 1 batch of the cookies
I also use this frosting for sugar cookies.