Holiday Sugar Cookies
Cutout cookies are a popular holiday tradition. Celebrate this year with these reduced-fat sugar cookies. For a splash of color, without the carbs, paint the baked cookies with food coloring diluted in water.
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Chilling Time: 2-24 hours
Baking Time: 8-10 minutes
Yield: 32 2-inch cookies
- 1/2 cup trans-fat-free 67% vegetable oil butter spread, chilled
- 3 ounces Neufchâtel cream cheese
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup Splenda® white sugar blend for baking
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- Beat butter spread and Neufchâtel cream cheese in large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, white sugar blend, egg yolk and vanilla; beat about 1 minute or until light and creamy.
- Add half of the flour and the baking powder; beat until combined. Stir in remaining half of flour with wooden spoon. Divide dough in half; wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours or until easy to handle.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Place each piece of dough between two large sheets of waxed paper. Roll dough from center to edges to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch shapes. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake cookies in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly brown. Transfer cookies to wire rack; cool. Makes about 32 2-inch cookies.
Recipe Variation: For Lemon-Thyme Holiday Sugar Cookie, prepare dough as directed above, except mix in 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice in Step 1 with the vanilla, and 2 teaspoons finely snipped fresh thyme and 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom in Step 2 with the flour.