Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Seriously melt in the mouth. Thank you Beneath My Heart

1 cup sugar
1 cup margarine or butter, softened
3 oz. package of cream cheese
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk (reserve white)
2 cups all purpose flour

• Blend together sugar, margarine, cream cheese, salt, almond extract, vanilla, and egg yolk with mixer. 
• Mix in flour until well blended.
• Roll into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for two hours.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. 
• Roll out dough, one third at a time, on a lightly floured surface. 
• Using a cookie cutter dipped in flour, cut out cookies as close together as possible.
• Place the cookies one inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. 
• To prevent breaking, move cookies to and from baking sheets with a  spatula 
• Leave cookies plain or brush with slightly beaten egg white and sprinkle with colored sugar.
• Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until bottoms of cookies are a light golden brown. 
• Cool completely
• If desired, use the almond glaze below.

Almond Glaze:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/4 tsp. almond extract
2 Tb. water
4 drops of food coloring

• Stir all ingredients until smooth.
• Pour 1 teaspoon of glaze on each sugar cookie. 
• Use the back of the teaspoon to spread glaze evenly over cookie. 
• Let glaze dry.