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
