Valentines Cookies

Every year I bake special cookies for the Tallahassee Alumnae Panhellenic Scholarship Luncheon and Silent Auction. And this year, Thomas' class is having a cookie exchange. He'll take 25 cookies to share to school on the 12th and come home with 25 (different) cookies. We'll be baking a lot in the next week in our makeshift kitchen!

The recipe is the same as our favorite Christmas cookie dough. It comes from a recipe contest that was printed in Taste of Home magazine in the late 1990s.

"White Velvet Cutouts"

2 cups butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 1/2 cups flour

Cream the butter and cream cheese, then add the sugar and cream until smooth and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix until fully combined. Add flour gradually, and blend until just combined. Split dough into 4 parts, wrap each one in plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours (overnight is better).

Preheat oven to 350 F. Roll out dough to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness, cut into shapes and bake 10-12 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Frosting is powdered sugar and water, mixed together to a nice thick, but spreadable consistency. Add vanilla (or other flavor) and/or food coloring as you like.