This recipe makes 4-6 doz. Cookies and is to be used with Aunt Chick's cookie cutters.

Cream together:

2 cups unsalted butter, soft

6 oz. cream cheese (hard)

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs, + 1 egg yolk

2 tsp Vanilla 

1 tsp orange oil

2 tsp orange zest

Whisk:

6 cups flour (unsifted)

1.5 tsp salt

Combine mixtures until even

Chill: Separate dough into 3 balls, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 5 hours to 3 days (dough tends to stick in cutter unless very chilled) or freeze up to one month. (Thaw completely in the refrigerator).

Roll: out dough on pastry canvas with sock covered rolling pin or if not available, lightly sprinkle counter with powder sugar. Prep cutters once with non stick spray and frequently with powdered sugar or flour. (Tap out all excess powder in cutter to preserve detail.) Press cookie cutter into dough, cutting out all your shapes in the rolled dough. Then go back and sugar or flour your cutter picking up the dough shapes and pressing it into your cookie cutter. Then tap out the cookie shape into your hand. If you have any issues you can take your nail and pry a little away from the cutter then it will pop out a little easier.

Bake: 375 degree oven for 7 minutes on parchment paper on cookie sheet until barely tinged around the edges. Transfer sheets to wire racks until cookies firm up, then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Can be stored in airtight container for 3 weeks or freeze for several months.

Decorate: with "Pastry Paint" (see recipe) and decorative sugars, sprinkles, crumbs, coconut or whatever inspires you!