Unchilled Spritz Cookie Dough

HeatherFeather's Note:

I have been making these buttery little cookies for Christmas every year since I was a little girl. You can color the dough any color you like or leave them plain. I sometimes color half the dough green and half red, then put two lumps of each color through the cookie press at the same tiem to create two-toned cookies. I originally got the recipe from "Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book". You may choose to ice these cookies or not - it is completely up to you. NOTE: This recipe is NOT compatible with the Pampered Chef Cookie Press, which only works with recipes calling for far less flour. I have used a manual Wilton cookie press, and also an electric standard cookie press with great results.

• Total Time: 38 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 80 small c ...

• 1 1/2 cups sweet unsalted butter, no substitutes
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• food coloring, as desired (optional)

Icing

• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar (sift before measuring)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• milk, as needed
• colored sprinkles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Beat butter using an electric mixer on high speed for about 30 seconds.
3. Add just 1 cup of the flour, all of the sugar, the egg, baking powder, vanilla, and almond extract (add a few drops of food coloring if desired).
4. Beat until well combined.
5. Beat in rest of the remaining 2 1/2 cups flour.
6. DO NOT CHILL DOUGH.
7. Force dough through a cookie press fitted with a decorative plate onto ungreased cookie sheets, following the directions on your cookie press (Leave about 1 inch between each cookie on the sheet).
8. Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are firmed but not browned (these will not get brown when done- if they are brown, then they are burnt).
9. Remove to a wire rack to let cool completely before icing.
10. Mix icing ingredients, adding only as much milk as needed to get a spreading consistency.
11. You will have extra icing.
12. Dip tops of baked cooled cookies into icing and then into a bowl of colored sprinkles, if desired.
13. Let icing on cookies firm up, then store in airtight containers.
14. They freeze well.

Reviews

[Barb Gertz]

These cookies are very tasty, easy to make and you don't have to wait for them to chill so it saves time. My DH & I had a lot of fun decorating cookies today. I bought a new cookie press a lot better than my old one, So I'll be using this recipe again soon, Making cookies for Grand-Kids & our Great-grandson.

[mogirl463]

I thought this recipe was wonderful...very easy to make and fun to decorate! As for the low rating given by Christina White, I am surprised her recipe turned out at all since she obviously didn't read the directions about it not working well in the Pampered Chef press....still a wonderful recipe in my grandmothers old press....thumbs up!!!!

[KCShell]

This is an excellent recipe for spritz. Perfect combination of flavors and great that you don't have to chill the dough. The reason it doesn't work in a Pampered Chef cookie press is that it calls for too much flour. In that particular press, you don't want to use more than 2 1/4 cups of flour. If you go over that amount, it will not work. I was a PC director and consultant for 8 years and demo'd the press many, many times. I would not hesitate to use this wonderful recipe in another type of press because I know this recipe is good. KCShell