cookies dessert cookies dessert pizza fruit yummy nom nom nom delicious frosting cream cheese frosting |

I love entertaining! When my girlfriends come over I pull out my Great Aunt Marie’s violet china luncheon plates and my silver dessert forks. I love using white linen napkins and my great grandmother Hilliard’s crystal water goblets. It is so much fun to pamper my friends.

I had a small gathering at my house this weeks and I made these cute dessert pizzas. My guests assembled them to their taste.

Making them is as easy as making sugar cookies, cream cheese frosting and cutting up fruit. Then displaying everything on pretty dishes.

This recipe is great for sugar cookies that hold their shape during baking and hold up after being decorated. My favorite sugar cookie recipe tastes better, but crumbles easily when decorated 🙁

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamed and smooth – about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 or 4 minutes.

2. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat on high until fully combined, about 2 minutes.

3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Turn the mixer down to low and add about half of the flour mixture, beating until just barely combined. Add the rest of the flour and continue mixing until just combined.

4. Divide the dough into 3 equal parts wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Don’t skip this step. Chill up to 2 days.

5. Once chilled, preheat oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Remove one of the dough pieces from the refrigerator and roll out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Using a cookie cutter, cut in shapes.

6. Bake for 9 – 10 minutes. Do not over bake. Makes 36 3″ round cookies.

Unfrosted cookies freeze well, you can also freeze the uncooked cookies dough.

FROSTING:

8 oz. cream cheese

1/4 heaving whipping cream

4 tsp. vanilla

3 to 4 cups powdered sugar.

Beat the cream cheese, cream and vanilla together. Add powdered sugar and beat until creamy.