Another misunderstanding - but has free recipe at end!

Good Morning! Okay, maybe I was a wee bit mean to Kristine and Jeannie yesterday. We all make mistakes. As smart and conscientious and aware as I am, I still manage to get something wrong on rare occasions.

Case in point: I got an email the other day from Miss Jeannie saying that Cookie Lee is definitely coming to our Christmas in July Tea. I was so excited. I wondered what type of cookies these would be. I allowed my imagination to frolic happily for a moment:












Yes I like cookies.



One might even say I love cookies.



In fact here's a picture of me enjoying a chocolate chip cookie.





So I was rhapsodizing to Kristine about what type of cookies we might expect when she broke the news. Apparently Cookie Lee sells jewelry.

So why aren't they called Jewelry Lee? Well I guess the founder of the company is named Cookie Lee, or so they claim. I actually have a friend named Kookie and she dosen't sell anything - but she makes a killer Frogs Eye Salad. Remind me later and I will get the recipe for you!

But back to Cookie Lee. They make some very nice pieces. Like this one:



granted, they aren't edible - but they are pretty. And you don't have to use your little slide rule to figure out how many bites you can take and still have enough WW points left over for dinner!



And they don't go bad - which means if you bought a bracelet at our event you could mail it to your sister-in-law back east for Christmas.

Yep - the more I think about it the more I realize Cookie Lee Jewelry is a good thing. But I still have Cookies on the brain so I will share a super easy recipe that makes the best butter cookies I have ever made.

You can use a heart shaped cutter (maybe buy one from PamperedChef while you are at our Christmas in July Tea) and just cut the pointy end off to make these adorable shapes.

Butt-er Cookie Dough

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces)

3/4 cup superfine sugar* (5 1/2 ounces)

1/4 teaspoon table salt

16 tablespoons unsalted butter ( 2 sticks)

cut into sixteen 1/2-inch pieces, at cool room temperature (about 65 degrees)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons cream cheese , at room temperature

Glaze

1 tablespoon cream cheese , at room temperature

3 tablespoons milk

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar (6 ounces)

1. FOR THE COOKIES: In bowl of standing mixer fitted with flat beater, mix flour, sugar, and salt on low speed until combined, about 5 seconds. With mixer running on low, add butter 1 piece at a time; continue to mix until mixture looks crumbly and slightly wet, about 1 minute longer. Add vanilla and cream cheese and mix on low until dough just begins to form large clumps, about 30 seconds.

2. Remove bowl from mixer; knead dough by hand in bowl for 2 to 3 turns to form large cohesive mass. Turn out dough onto countertop; divide in half, pat into two 4-inch disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until they begin to firm up, 20 to 30 minutes. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 weeks; defrost in refrigerator before using.)

3. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out 1 dough disk to even 1/8-inch thickness between 2 large sheets parchment paper; slide rolled dough on parchment onto baking sheet and chill until firm, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, repeat with second disk.

4. Working with first portion of rolled dough, cut into desired shapes using cookie cutter(s) and place shapes on parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until light golden brown, about 10 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking time. Repeat with second portion of rolled dough. (Dough scraps can be patted together, chilled, and re-rolled once.) Cool cookies on wire rack to room temperature.

5. FOR THE GLAZE: Whisk cream cheese and 2 tablespoons milk in medium bowl until combined and no lumps remain. Whisk in confectioners’ sugar until smooth, adding remaining milk as needed until glaze is thin enough to spread easily. Drizzle or spread scant teaspoon glaze with back of spoon onto each cooled cookie, as desired.

Note*
If you cannot find superfine sugar, you can obtain a close approximation by processing regular granulated sugar in a food processor for about 20 seconds. If desired, the cookies can be finished with sprinkles or other decorations immediately after glazing.