Thursday, November 29, 2007

Spritz-a-thon



Thanks to our church's annual cookie sale, which always gives me a jumpstart on the holiday baking, I baked my first batch of Christmas cookies yesterday. I decided on Spritz cookies, because they're my favorite, but also because I had all the ingredients on hand and we're flat broke this week. Cookie sale is Saturday, but I made enough to keep half for ourselves (and Santa). Twenty dozen in all! I use the Spritz recipe from the BH&G cookbook, with a couple of my own alterations, and they are just melt-in-your-mouth yummy!

3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. baking powder
1 t. almond extract
1/2 t. vanilla extract

Beat butter and shortening on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, the egg, baking powder, almond and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly combined. Beat in remaining flour. Divide dough and color as desired.

Force unchilled dough through a cookie press onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or till edges are firm but not brown (My oven runs hot, so I bake at 350 degrees, and the cookies usually get just slightly brown on the edges). Cool on a wire rack.


Now to make them last until Christmas!

4 comments:

Jeff Keith said...

They look yummy. Me ansd Jessie will give them a try. Happy Holidays!

Carol E. said...

I'm drooling just looking at them. This is one of my all-time favorite Christmas cookies!

Anonymous said...

I love making spritz, when I can get the spritz gun to work! I grew up on these, and a few other special recipes... Yours look great!

Heather said...

Thanks, everyone! They're my absolute favorite cookies, though for some reason, I only make them at Christmas time. I guess that makes them all the more special. ;o)