Italian Knot Cookies

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, soft

8 oz butter, soft

1 cup sugar

5 eggs

5 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

zest 1 lemon

zest 1 orange

5 cups flour

For the icing:

1 to 1.5 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon anise extract

Method of prep:

Sift together flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream together butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, then add vanilla extract. Mix in sifted flour/baking powder and citrus zest. Bring the dough together just until incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape 1 ounce balls of dough into ropes. Twist the rope into a knot and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. The cookies should be blonde on top and slightly brown on the bottom. Allow cookies to cool. Mix together ingredients for the icing. Dip cookie tops in the icing and finish with sprinkles if desired!