Glazed Butter Cookies

Dough2frac12; cups (12frac12; ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour frac34; cup (5frac12; ounces) superfine sugar (see note) frac14; teaspoon salt 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cut into 16, frac12;-inch pieces 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 tablespoons cream cheese. at room temperature Glaze1 tablespoon cream cheese, at room temperature 3 tablespoons milk 1frac12; cups (6 ounces) confectioners' sugar

For the cookies: In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the flour, sugar, and salt at low speed until combined, about 5 seconds. With the mixer running on low, add the butter 1 piece at a time; continue to mix until the mixture looks crumbly and slightly wet, about 1 minute longer. Add the vanilla and cream cheese and mix on low until the dough just begins to form large clumps, about 30 seconds.

Knead the dough by hand in the bowl for 2 to 3 turns to form a large, cohesive mass. Turn the dough out onto the countertop; divide it in half, pat each half into a 4-inch disk, wrap the disks in plastic, and refrigerate until they begin to firm up, 20-30 minutes. (Disks can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 weeks; defrost in the refrigerator before using.)

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position; heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Rollout 1 dough disk to an even -inch thickness between 2 large sheets of parchment paper; slide the rolled dough, still on the parchment, onto a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, repeat with the second disk.

Working with the first portion of rolled dough, cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters and place the shapes on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1frac12; inches apart. Bake until the cookies are light golden brown, about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time. Repeat with the second portion of rolled dough. (The dough scraps can be patted together, chilled, and rerolled once.) Cool the cookies to room temperature on a wire rack.

For the glaze: Whisk the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons milk in a medium bowl until combined and no lumps remain. Whisk in the confectioners' sugar until smooth, adding the remaining milk as needed until the glaze is thin enough to spread easily. Drizzle or spread a scant teaspoon glaze with the back of a spoon onto each cooled cookie, as desired.

Makes about 38 cookies.

Cook's notes: If you cannot find superfine sugar, you can obtain a close approximation by processing regular granulated sugar in a food processor for about 30 seconds. If desired, the cookies can be finished with sprinkles or other decorations immediately after glazing.

#8220;Baking Illustrated#8221; by the Editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine (2004 America's Test Kitchen)