Cream Cheese Cookies

This rolled Cream Cheese Cookie recipe is a traditional Christmas favorite of our family. Kind of a shortbread cookie with a twist. I am always misplacing it, and have had to ask someone in the family for it every Christmas ... for let's say ... oh ... 20 years, or so. Sorry family!!

I do have to say, I have tried to find this recipe on the Internet, and have been unsuccessful. I've scoured through all kinds of cookbooks along the way (so I don't have to admit to family that, once again I have misplaced it ...), but no success, although I've found some great "other" recipes while I "researched". So with that thought, I want to say this is a family original cookie recipe, and I am proud to share it with you.

P.S. - Since you're using just the egg yolks in this recipe, don't forget to save the unused egg whites for the The Forgotten Cookies  or Flourless Fudge Cookie recipes!

Cream Cheese Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup softened butter
• 3 ounces softened cream cheese
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• coarse grain sugar, colored or plain **

Directions:

• Oven Temperature: 325 degrees
• Cooking Time: 25 minutes
• Serves: 3 dozen

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar together. Add the egg yolk, and cream until light in color. Mix in the cake flour. Add the vanilla and beat into the flour/cream cheese mixture.

Divide the batter into two parts. Roll each into a log, 7 inches long. Roll each log into coarse grain sugar, colored or plain. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate overnight.

Cut in 3/8-inch slices. These don't spread much, so 1" apart on a cookie sheet is adequate. Bake until the edges are lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

** At Christmastime we use green coarse grain sugar on one roll, and red coarse grain sugar on another. Looks pretty Christmasy on a plate of cookies!