Almond Spritz Press Cookies

"These are my hubby's favorite Christmas cookies. His Great Aunt Gin used to make them for him every year and it just isn't Christmas without them. She always made green Christmas Trees and pink Wreaths because those were her two favorite colors. Since they use all shortening they are a very crisp cookie. The recipe is originally from the cookbook that came with the Mirro cookie press. NOTE: you must sift the flour first and then measure or you will add too much flour and the dough will be too stiff! (If you prefer a butter cookie, I recommend Recipe #98883)"
 
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photo by Marg (CaymanDesigns) photo by Marg (CaymanDesigns)
photo by Marg (CaymanDesigns)
photo by Marg (CaymanDesigns) photo by Marg (CaymanDesigns)
photo by Marg (CaymanDesigns) photo by Marg (CaymanDesigns)
Ready In:
16mins
Ingredients:
8
Serves:
72
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ingredients

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directions

  • Cream shortening, adding sugar in gradually.
  • Add unbeaten egg, sifted dry ingredients, flavoring and a few drops of food coloring. Mix well. (NOTE: you must sift the flour first and then measure or you will add too much flour and the dough will be too stiff!).
  • Fill cookie press. Form cookies on ungreased cookie sheets using the tree plate. Decorate with tiny multi-colored sprinkles.
  • Bake at 400°F for 6-8 minutes. Cool just slightly and remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. (If you wait too long, they will break when you try to move them.).

Questions & Replies

  1. Could you use butter instead of shortening, or would it change the consistency too much?
     
  2. I love these cookies but I need to find a cookie press. Anyone have any recommendations on what kind to buy?
     
  3. Can I freeze these? If so how do I and how long will they last? Thank you
     
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Reviews

  1. To me, this is the definitive spritz cookie recipe. My mom had a Mirro press, since I was a baby in the '50's, and I've been making them ever since. You can swap out butter for shortening, my mom used margarine, I use butter. I also swap out extracts to change it up now and then, but almond is my family's favorite. I've collected a bunch of Pampered Chef ceramic baking sheets at yard sales, and that's what I use exclusively. I bake for 7 minutes, and my cookies are perfect every time. If you use the ceramic baking sheets, they take a while to cool down, so have a couple of them handy so you can refrigerate (or put them outside if you live in a cool climate) the sheet before applying the next batch of cookies, or the butter will melt and they won't stick to the pan when you lift the press.
     
  2. Let me preface this by saying that I am giving this 5 stars because of it's performance......I would prefer a butterier taste (is that even a word?) :) Last year we tried an old family recipe, and we couldn't get the dough to NOT stick to the press, so the images were all mushed and funky. We SWORE never to try again. Well, I tried this recipe and it made the most perfect, well-formed shapes and it tastes delicious to boot!!
     
  3. I had about given up trying to make spritz cookie without battling the frustration of working with a cookie press. I made this recipe with a Pampered Chef cookie press and every cookie came out perfectly. I divided the dough into 3 portions and tinted one green, one red, and left the other white. I rolled each potion into a rope and then put all three in the press together. The result was really pretty tri colored cookies!
     
  4. I just confirmed this is the one Mother used to make. <br/>VARIATIONS: <br/>Vanilla <br/>Peppermint <br/>Lemon<br/>Etc
     
  5. This is a wonderfully bad for you cookie. It is our favorite, with a crisp, soft gentle flavor that melts in your mouth. We have been making this recipe for 30 years and it never fails to impress when you taste that first cookie. You will enjoy this cookie.
     
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Tweaks

  1. I have been making this almond sprit cookie for years but now it will not come out of the cookie spritz. What's wrong?
     
  2. Maybe it's because we live in such a dry climate (Colorado), or because my 4-year-old was "helping" me so it took extra long, or because I'm a newbie with the press, or all of the above! -- but the dough was very dry and crumbly and it was just not working well with the press. I then added water and massaged it into the dough by hand until I had a more moist, pliable consistency, and that worked pretty well!
     

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With the changes to the email notifications and removal of private messaging, I am no longer able to respond to questions about my recipes. Yet another feature change that has made the website less user friendly. It's sad to watch a fantastic site deteriorate over the years. Some of my recipes are on my blog.
 
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