Sugar Cookie Tarts

Instructions

1. 1

   Cream Cheese Spread -- (recipe follows) CREAM CHEESE SPREAD 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese -- softened 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla Toppings (sliced fresh fruit, miniature chocolate chips, chopped pecans or jam with toasted sliced almonds) Heat oven to 375º. Beat sugar, shortening, butter, vanilla and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Roll half of dough at a time 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into 3-inch rounds. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Cool 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Prepare Cream Cheese Spread. Spread about 2 teaspoons spread over each cookie. Arrange Toppings on spread. Store covered in refrigerator. CREAM CHEESE SPREAD: Mix all ingredients until smooth. ____________________ Please note, if you should change this recipe it will no longer be an approved Betty Crocker® Recipe. You may notice that the nutritional information calculated by MasterCook is different from the nutritional information listed in the Betty Crocker® cookbooks. Because MasterCook and Betty Crocker® use different nutritional analysis programs and different nutrient databases, variations in results are expected. Page 213 "© General Mills, Inc. 1998." "30 Cookies" Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 15mg Cholesterol; 112mg Sodium Other Carbohydrates In a hurry? A thin-rimmed glass or clean, empty food can makes a good substitute for a cookie cutter. Make It Your Way Bake these cookies, but leave out the fruit and replace Cream Cheese Spread with Creamy Frosting (see Chocolate Shortbread recipe). Make Bird's Nest Cookies by spreading each cookie with frosting, sprinkling with plain, toasted or tinted coconut and centering 3 jelly beans in the middle of each.