JEAN'S CREAM CHEESE COOKIES

 Friend Jean made these delightful Cream Cheese Cookies for the Cafe Treats last Sunday. I had my new festive paper plates that I had bought to show off the treats and started by placing the cookies around the inside edges. They fit perfectly and I noticed they looked so pretty on the plate as they rounded the Christmas Tree. I just decided to leave it that way. It just meant I had to keep replenishing them as they were quickly selected by people as they visited the Cafe.

I added Jean's personal notes at the end of the recipe. You still have time to add them to your holiday baking list, you know.

PRINT RECIPE.

CREAM CHEESE COOKIES

1/2     cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature

4        oz. cream cheese at room temperature

1        cup sugar

1        egg

2        teaspoons vanilla

1/2     teaspoon baking powder

1-3/4  cup flour

1/2     teaspoon salt

powdered sugar for dusting

finely chopped peppermint

Cream butter and cream cheese til smooth. Add sugar and beat to blend. Add the egg and vanilla and mix.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and then add in 3 portions to the creamed mixture. Mix well.

Cover the dough and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  

Roll dough into balls and place on baking sheet. Flatten slightly with your fingers. The cookies will not spread as they bake. (Jean said she used a small cookie scoop but didn't pack it in. The cookies were dainty.)

Bake for 8 to 9 minutes only. Let the bottom slightly brown. Do not overbake! Immediately sprinkle crushed peppermint on top while cookies are still warm. Dust with powdered sugar. Cool on wire rack.

Notes from Jean:

You want to work quickly and sprinkle crushed peppermint on the cookies while they are hot from the oven so it will stick. 

You could also use chopped chocolate chips instead of the peppermint.

You could also add extract flavors such as mint, lemon, coconut, etc as part of the vanilla flavoring.

Jean says the cookies are better if they don't brown too much on the bottom. They seem to be a little more moist.