Shannon's Sugar Cookie & Cream Cheese Frosting Recipes

Oh my hell-o I can't believe I am sharing my sugar cookie recipe!  Yes I can.  No I can't!  Up until now I have guarded it with my life!  Not really but if you asked me for it I probably wouldn't have given it to you.  The truth is I am sharing all of my recipes so that others can get joy out of them.  They do no good sitting here in my recipe box collecting dust.  You all have my permission to bake, enjoy and share all of my recipes :) This is the sugar cookie and cream cheese frosting recipe I used in my bakery in both locations.

A little history on my sugar cookie recipe...
When I first started my bakery in Nov. 2010 I had a wonderful sugar cookie recipe.  Nordstrom's little cafe representative called me, they had heard about my cookies and asked if I would bring them samples to taste test against a few other local bakeries.  As you can imagine I was ecstatic and went right up there with samples.  It ended up that they loved my cookies but had decided to close their cafe instead of revamp.  That is where my sugar cookie (over) confidence began.

Not long after, a reporter from the county news paper came in and wanted to write a business column about the town I was in but featuring my bakery.  I baked her my best cookies ever!  She came and did the interview.  I was as gracious and refined as a country girl could be and then....
She called me and told me the cookies were very good but to crumbly, like a short bread cookie.  It burst my little bubble and brought me back to the reality that everyone was not going to love my cookies and at the same time I knew there was room for improvement.  That started me on a 4 day baking spree.  After countless hours of adjusting recipes and baking I came up with what I felt (and have been told) is the best sugar cookie recipe ever!
So here it is and all I ask of you is to please share it!  Blog it, pin it on pinterest, facebook it to all of your friends, just bake away, enjoy and let me know how it goes.

Shannon's Sugar Cookies

Makes approx. 2 dozen large cookies

Preheat oven to 325

Use a baking liner or spray your pan

1 cup unsalted butter softened

1/2 cup cream cheese softened

*Mix together well then add

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 teas. Vanilla Extract

1 1/2 teas. Almond Extract

*Mix together then add

2 teas. Baking Soda

1 teas. Salt

5 cups all purpose flour 1 cup at a time

*Mix well, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour

Roll out onto floured surface about 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick and cut with cookie cutter.  The size for 24 cookies is the same as the rim lid for a large mason jar.

Every oven is a little different so start baking at 9 minutes but may need to bake up to 14 minutes depending on your oven.  Remember they continue to bake a little when they come out of the oven.

Let them cool then frost. (you can freeze these frosted or unfrosted)

Shannon's Cream Cheese Frosting

12 ounces Cream Cheese softened

1 cup Unsalted Butter softened

*Whip together then add

4 cups Powdered Sugar

*Mix well then add

1 teas. Vanilla Extract

*Mix well then add

2 cups Powdered Sugar

*Mix well then add

3 Tablespoons Whole Milk

*Mix well then add

2 cups Powdered Sugar

Whip until very creamy

You can add up to 1 more cup of powdered sugar if needed and a little more milk.  

You will have to decide the consistency you like. 

The steps in this recipe are why the frosting turns out so well.  It is important to follow exactly to get the same results.  You can color it with anything or flavor it with extracts.  

Same with the cookies just add 1 1/2 teas. of flavor extract. 

If you have any questions let me know I will gladly answer them.  Also Katie I will post the Ginger Bread version closer to the holidays just for you!

Enjoy!!!