‘Tis the season for loads of baking. The holiday party at school starts the madness that does not end before the New Year in our house. There are constant gatherings of family and friends and always having that plate of cookies can be a challenge. While I love the roll out cookies (sugar, ginger and linzer), they are a lot of work. I like to have a few simple cookies to help fill the plate as well. I could not get over how quickly and easily the cookie press was for making such pretty cookies. We sprinkled red and green sugar of the Christmas trees and wreaths. Using the same basic dough and a flower disk we also made Fancy Jam Dots. The cookies keep four days in a cookie tin, but you can press the dough on to a cookie sheet and then freeze it. Transfer to a ziploc bag once frozen and then bake as needed.
Spritz Cookies
‘Tis the season for loads of baking. The holiday party at school starts the madness that does not end before the New Year in our house. There are constant gatherings of family and friends and always having that plate of cookies can be a challenge. While I love the roll out cookies (sugar, ginger and linzer), they are a lot of work. I like to have a few simple cookies to help fill the plate as well. I could not get over how quickly and easily the cookie press was for making such pretty cookies. We sprinkled red and green sugar of the Christmas trees and wreaths. Using the same basic dough and a flower disk we also made Fancy Jam Dots. The cookies keep four days in a cookie tin, but you can press the dough on to a cookie sheet and then freeze it. Transfer to a ziploc bag once frozen and then bake as needed.
Nutrition
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk starch, gum, salt, baking powder, pudding; set aside. In a small bowl, beat yolk, cream, and vanilla with fork until combined; set aside.
- In standing mixer, cream butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. With mixer running at medium speed, add yolk/cream mixture and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. With mixer running at low speed, add starch mixture until the dough is formed, about 1 to 2 minutes. ( If too dry add an extra tablespoon of heavy cream. )
- Following the instructions on your cookie press, fill with dough. Press cookies onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing them about 1-1/2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are light golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking time. Cool cookies on baking sheet until just warm, 10 to 15 minutes; using metal spatula, transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature.
- TIPS: To make these cookies in advance, freeze unbaked cookies right on the baking sheet. Once frozen transfer to a Ziploc bag. When ready to bake, place frozen cookies on baking sheet and bake for an extra 2 minutes. To lower the phe content, replace the egg yolk with an extra tablespoon of heavy cream.
- VARIATIONS: Almond spritz cookies – replace the vanilla extract with ¾ teaspoon almond extract. Lemon spritz cookies (delicious for making Fancy Jam Dots) add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the starch mixture and a tablespoon of lemon juice in place of one of the tablespoons of heavy cream to the egg yolk and heavy cream mix.
Notes
Reader Q&A:
Q: Hello! My cookies tasted delicious, but they were very dry and crumbly. The first batch just fell apart when I tried to get them off of the baking sheet. I reduced the oven temp and cooked one less minute. I could then take them off the baking sheet, but they were still very dry. Is there anything I can try to make them moister? The dough itself seemed ok before baking. I did use a brand of instant vanilla pudding from Whole Foods, not the Jello brand so not sure if that makes a difference.
Thank you!
Elke Phillips A: Hey Elke!
The end product should not be dry or crumbly. There could be a difference with the WF instant pudding — perhaps it absorbed more moisture? Regardless, a tablespoon of water should help make them less crumbly.
Brenda
Q: Hello! My cookies tasted delicious, but they were very dry and crumbly. The first batch just fell apart when I tried to get them off of the baking sheet. I reduced the oven temp and cooked one less minute. I could then take them off the baking sheet, but they were still very dry. Is there anything I can try to make them moister? The dough itself seemed ok before baking. I did use a brand of instant vanilla pudding from Whole Foods, not the Jello brand so not sure if that makes a difference.
Thank you!
Elke Phillips A: Hey Elke!
The end product should not be dry or crumbly. There could be a difference with the WF instant pudding — perhaps it absorbed more moisture? Regardless, a tablespoon of water should help make them less crumbly.
Brenda
