Here’s a favorite of mine….Spritz Cookies. German for “press,” these delicate but rich and buttery cookies are delectable all year long. The flavor combinations are endless with just butter and vanilla shinning through or add flavoring of choice to match your mood. I like to add “mint flavoring” to the dough and after baking and cooling the cookies. I dip one-third of the cookie into melted dark chocolate and sprinkle with crushed toasted almonds. Yum…! Who wouldn’t want to get these as a gift?

Buttery morsels in intriguing shapes. COOKIES PRESSED

Spritz
Crisp, fragile, buttery-tasting curlicues.

1 cup         Butter (unsalted, room temp)
2/3 cup      Sugar
3 each        Egg Yolks (large)
1 tsp.         Flavoring (vanilla, almond, mint, lemon, etc.)
2 1/2 c.      All Purpose Flour (unbleached, unbromated)

Pre-heat the oven to 375° degrees.

Mixing the dough:

1. In a mixing bowl combine the butter and sugar, using a wooden spoon beat together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and flavoring and beat until the yolks are fully incorporated into the butter and sugar and the mixture is light and creamy.
2. Add all the all purpose flour to the creamed mixture and combine using the wooden spoon. Beat the dough well once all the flour has been incorporated. This will make it easier to press.

Note: Do not let the dough sit to long as it will firm up and be harder to press.

 
Pressing and baking the cookies:

1. Using a cookies press or piping bag fitted with your desired tip. Fill the press or bag with only half of the dough. This will make pressing out the cookies easier.
2. Press or pipe out the desired shapes onto a parchment lined sheet tray with at least an ½” of space between each cookie, keeping the shapes as uniformed as possible for even baking.
3. Bake the cookies at 375° degrees, for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of the cookies are a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely before eating or storing.