Christmas Cookies - Cream Cheese Cookies

wow, i cannot believe it's december already! i feel like i say that every year. time just keeps slipping away. slow down time! yikes.

ok, my rant is over. ever notice that thanksgiving is all about the pies? you know, pumpkin, apple, pecan, etc. it seems no thanksgiving dinner is complete without a slice of pie (or two, maybe even a la mode). but christmas? christmas is all about the cookies. there are cookie exchanges, cookie tins filled to the brim with cookies, and cookie baking parties (i know i'm not the only one). and, let's not forget what we all leave out for santa. no, not pie - cookies! the poor reindeer are left with carrots, they need veggie fuel to do the work while santa get all the good stuff. i like to think he shares his cookies with those poor reindeer. lord knows he could make do without 12 cookies.

last year i did the 12 days of christmas cookies. i tried to put healthy spins on my favorite chistmas cookies. i think it's safe to say, that mission was a big fail. my mistake? trying to make cookies healthy. this is the only time of year it's acceptable to pig out on cookies. we should enjoy it. plus cookies taste better with lots of sugar, butter, and chocolate.

so this year i am forgoing the healthy thing and celebrating with some good, old fashioned christmas cookies. i'll have to pawn a bunch off on my monday flexible warrior yoga class so i don't end up eating them all but i don't think they will mind.

first up, E's favorite cookies - cream cheese cookies. these are one of the few cookies i had success with last year "cleaning up." by cleaning up i mean i used butter instead of shortening, subbed some of the sugar with agave nectar and also used half whole wheat pastry flour and half unbleached all-purpose flour. by success, i mean E claimed he "didn't remember them tasting differently" and proceeded to eat them. that's success in my book!

please leave a comment and share your favorite cookie treat with me if you get a chance. after-all, is there really such a thing as too many cookies? ok, don't answer that.

---

Cream Cheese Cookies
(makes 4 dozen cookies)

1 c unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c organic sugar
1/4 c agave
1 tbs vanilla extract
8 oz 1/3 fat cream cheese, room temperature
2 egg yolks
3/4 c whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
food coloring and/or sprinkles (optional)

preheat oven to 350.

cream together cream cheese and butter. slowly add sugar and agave. add vanilla and egg yolks one at a time. when blended, add flour and salt gradually.

(if you are adding food coloring, divide into 3 parts. add red to one bowl, green to another, and leave the third white. or, use any colors you like.)

drop by teaspoonfuls or small cookie scoop onto parchment lined cookie sheets. bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. cookies should be just starting to brown at the edges but will still be very soft. they will firm up as they cool. transfer to wire racks to cool completely. store in airtight containers.