This recipe is adapted from The Kitchn, a favorite blog of mine. This makes a pretty large batch, enough to share and pass around the hallway.

Ingredients:
3 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
175 grams (6 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
2-1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
2 tsp lemon zest
9 cups flour
4-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. In a mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese with the sugar, beating at high for several minutes, then turning down to medium until light and fluffy. 

2. In the meantime, mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Set this aside.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the creamed mixture, that is.

4. In goes the vanilla and almond extracts, then the zest. 

Smells really nice now!

5. In 3 batches, add the flour to the butter and sugar mixture and mix on low speed, only because you don't want the flour all over the kitchen. Okay... also because you don't want to overmix.

6. Since we wanted to use the dough asap, we rolled it between parchment to about 1/4 inch thick, placed it on a baking sheet and chucked it in the freezer for at least 1 hour.

Alternatively you can shape into patties, wrap in plastic and freeze up to a month.

7. Thaw until cut-able, not till room temperature, and prep your favourite Christmas cookie cutters by dipping them in a mound of flour.

8. Preheat to 350F while you have a glass of wine and have a cookie cutting party with the girls.
9. Place those beauties on a parchment or Silpat and bake for 8-12 minutes, alternating pans in the oven.

Surely you don't expect us to place just 1 sheet on 1 rack in the oven. With this batch, it will take forever, though we do have enough to imbibe while we trudge along that arduous task.

10. When just shy of golden brown, remove and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Now do you really need a recipe for the icing? I didn't think so.