Spritz Cookies
 Press, bake, decorate! Easily whip up over 6 dozen buttery spritz cookies—with no dough chilling required, they’re the perfect fuss-free and festive addition to your holiday cookie trays. Ingredients 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature ¾ cup sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 large egg ½ teaspoon almond extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2¼ cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off Food coloring (optional; see note) 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature ¾ cup sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 large egg ½ teaspoon almond extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2¼ cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off Food coloring (optional; see note) For Decorating Light corn syrup or glaze icing Sparkling sugar, nonpareils, or sprinkles Light corn syrup or glaze icing Sparkling sugar, nonpareils, or sprinkles Special Equipment Cookie press Cookie press Instructions Preheat the oven to 350°F and set two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, beat the butter, sugar, and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the flour and mix on low speed until combined. Initially, the dough will appear crumbly, but it will eventually come together. If you wish to color the dough, add a few drops of food coloring at this stage and continue mixing until the color is evenly distributed. Before you begin, ensure your baking sheets are at room temperature. Do not grease them or line them with parchment paper, as the cookie press won’t work effectively on surfaces that are warm, parchment-lined, or greased. Follow the directions provided by your cookie press manufacturer for attaching a decorative plate. Load the cookie press with some of the dough. To press out the cookies, hold the cookie press upright and position it so that it is directly touching the baking sheet. Firmly press out the cookies, spacing them about 1½ inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, or until the cookies are just starting to turn golden around the edges. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough, making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches (as mentioned above, the cookie press will not work on warm baking sheets). To decorate the cookies, lightly dab, drizzle, or brush a small amount of corn syrup over each cookie. Then, either gently dip them into the sprinkles or sprinkle the decorations directly over the cookies. Remember, a little corn syrup goes a long way, so use it very sparingly. Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cookie dough can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped in plastic, for up to 3 days. Allow it to reach room temperature before pressing and baking. The baked cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For freezing, first cool the cookies completely, then store them in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper, for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature before serving. Note on Food Coloring: For optimal results in coloring your spritz cookie dough, I recommend using gel food coloring. It's more concentrated than its liquid counterpart, allowing you to achieve rich colors with less product and without altering the dough's consistency (excess moisture from liquid coloring can impact the dough’s ability to maintain its shape). Gel food coloring is available in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. Remember, a little goes a long way; start with a small amount and add gradually to reach your desired hue. Preheat the oven to 350°F and set two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, beat the butter, sugar, and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the flour and mix on low speed until combined. Initially, the dough will appear crumbly, but it will eventually come together. If you wish to color the dough, add a few drops of food coloring at this stage and continue mixing until the color is evenly distributed. Before you begin, ensure your baking sheets are at room temperature. Do not grease them or line them with parchment paper, as the cookie press won’t work effectively on surfaces that are warm, parchment-lined, or greased. Follow the directions provided by your cookie press manufacturer for attaching a decorative plate. Load the cookie press with some of the dough. To press out the cookies, hold the cookie press upright and position it so that it is directly touching the baking sheet. Firmly press out the cookies, spacing them about 1½ inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, or until the cookies are just starting to turn golden around the edges. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough, making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches (as mentioned above, the cookie press will not work on warm baking sheets). To decorate the cookies, lightly dab, drizzle, or brush a small amount of corn syrup over each cookie. Then, either gently dip them into the sprinkles or sprinkle the decorations directly over the cookies. Remember, a little corn syrup goes a long way, so use it very sparingly. Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cookie dough can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped in plastic, for up to 3 days. Allow it to reach room temperature before pressing and baking. The baked cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For freezing, first cool the cookies completely, then store them in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper, for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature before serving. Note on Food Coloring: For optimal results in coloring your spritz cookie dough, I recommend using gel food coloring. It's more concentrated than its liquid counterpart, allowing you to achieve rich colors with less product and without altering the dough's consistency (excess moisture from liquid coloring can impact the dough’s ability to maintain its shape). Gel food coloring is available in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. Remember, a little goes a long way; start with a small amount and add gradually to reach your desired hue. Nutrition Information Powered by Serving size: 1 cookie Calories: 39 Fat: 2 g Carbohydrates: 4 g Sugar: 2 g Fiber: 0 g Protein: 0 g Sodium: 15 mg Cholesterol: 8 mg Serving size: 1 cookie Calories: 39 Fat: 2 g Carbohydrates: 4 g Sugar: 2 g Fiber: 0 g Protein: 0 g Sodium: 15 mg Cholesterol: 8 mg