Christmas cookies.

Last week I promised you Christmas cookies. Today, you shall have them! This recipe is super easy (okay, not as easy as the ready-to-bake ones with the Christmas designs in the middle, but still) and they taste so good and chewy. It all comes down to a secret ingredient: cream cheese! And it's likely that you'll have all of the ingredients in your pantry already - another plus! 

We made a batch of these a few weeks ago and made them again for one of Andrew's classes this weekend because they were so yummy. The recipe makes two dozen cookies. Definitely use the two tablespoons of dough when first forming the balls; any less (as I tried with one of the batches) and the cookies don't come out as soft. 

Ingredients: 

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 1/2 cups sugar, plus more for rolling and dusting

2 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (substitute maple syrup if you don't have any vanilla)

• 
  

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Set aside.
  Place 1½ cups sugar and cream cheese in large bowl. Place about 1/3 cup sugar in shallow baking dish or small plate and set aside. Pour butter over sugar and cream cheese and whisk to combine. Whisk in oil until incorporated. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; continue to whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture and mix until soft dough forms.
• Roll dough into 24 balls, about 2 tablespoons each. Next, roll in reserved sugar to coat and then evenly space on prepared baking sheets. Using bottom of drinking glass, flatten dough balls until 2 inches in diameter. Sprinkle tops evenly with the sugar remaining in shallow dish. 
• Bake, 1 tray at a time, until edges are set and just beginning to brown, 11 to 13 minutes, rotating tray after 7 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Or, better yet, try them when they're still slightly warm - they'll melt in your mouth! 

Happy baking! Hope all our MN readers are recovering after their winter wonderland hit yesterday!

P.S.: more cookies I've made and loved, and cookies I want to try.