Cookie Press Cookies - The Perennial Christmas Cookie

Cookie Press Cookies, or Spritz cookies as they are sometimes called, have been a Christmas cookie treat since the 1600's. They are called "cookie press" because a press is used to form the cookies.

The word "spritz" comes from the German word "spritzen" which means "to squirt or spray". The word describes the action of the cookie press, which "squirts" the dough through a die giving the cookie its shape.

Cookies

If you've tried making spritz cookies without success in the past or if you're new to them the following information will guide you to making these delicious Christmas treats.

Cookie Press Cookies - The Perennial Christmas Cookie

Cookie Press Recipes

Most bakers that have had problems with their cookie press cookies are probably not at fault at all. More than likely it's the recipe they were using.

Spritz cookie dough has to have some unique qualities. First of all the dough has to be soft enough that it will go through the press with no problems.

The fact that it has to be soft could present the second problem. It must hold it's shape in the oven or it will lose its design.

On top of these two problems is that it has to taste good!

That eliminates some of the tricks some bakers' use for shape holding like using shortening for the fat. For great cookie flavor butter should be the fat in Cookie Press Cookies!

This is a good basic recipe that will produce beautiful Christmas spritz cookies.

Basic Spritz Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened (about 70 degrees)
2/3 cup sugar (about 4-3/4 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon table salt
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces)

Instructions

Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees.

In small bowl, beat yolk, cream, and vanilla with fork until combined; set aside.

In stand mixer cream the butter, sugar, and salt at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.

With the mixer running at medium speed, add the yolk and cream mixture and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl.

With the mixer running at low speed gradually beat in the flour a little at a time until combined.

Scrape down the bowl and give a final stir with a rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain.

Load up your cookie press and press out the cookies spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake one sheet at a time until the cookies are light golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time.

Cool the cookies on the baking sheet until just warm, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the cookies from the sheet with a metal spatula and transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Some words of caution!

This cookie recipe works perfectly fine. However there are some variables that can't be solved by a recipe. Those variables are in your own kitchen.

Oven thermostats are notoriously inaccurate! The temperature of your oven must be 375 degrees for the cookies to setup before the melting butter makes them spread.

If your cookies spread too much check your oven with an oven thermometer.

In addition to oven temperature the cookies will spread too much if you have whipped too much air into the dough. When you are creaming the butter and sugar be sure and not over whip.

Also combine the dry ingredients with the wet just until mixed thoroughly.

A warm cookie sheet will cause your cookies to spread excessively. Be sure your sheet is completely cooled before you do a second batch. You can pop it in the fridge for a few minutes if necessary.

Expand Your Cookie Press Cookies Repertoire

Once you have the basic procedure for spritz cookies down pat you can expand your repertoire.

The flavors and decorations possibilities for these cookies are almost unlimited. And with good recipes you can make Christmas Cookie Baking go like a flash.

Cookie Press Cookies - The Perennial Christmas Cookie

There are a lot of recipes, baking tips and decorating tips in the Cookie Press Recipes section of Jim Bolding's website http://www.cookie-recipe-club.com.

Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes - Candied Fruit Cookies

A festive cookie featuring candied fruit and almonds.

1/2 cup butter, softened

Cookies

3/4 cup sugar

Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes - Candied Fruit Cookies

1 egg

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 1/2 cups pitted dates, chopped

1/2 cup each candied cherries and pineapple, chopped

3/4 cup Brazil nuts, coarsely chopped and toasted

3/4 cup almonds, chopped and toasted

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add in the egg; mix well.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in the fruits and nuts.

Drop by teaspoonfuls 2-inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool completely.

Makes 84 cookies.

=> Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes: Chips Galore Cookies

These cookies are stuffed with a variety of yummy chips - a real treat.

1 cup butter flavored shortening

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup peanut butter chips

1/3 cup butterscotch chips

1/3 cup vanilla or white chips

1/3 cup milk chocolate M&Ms

1/3 cup Reese's pieces candy

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, sugar and brown sugar. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the chips and candy pieces.

Bake 7 to 9 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Let cool completely.

Makes 48 cookies.

=> Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin cookies with a burst of chocolate chips.

4 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 (16 oz.) can solid pack pumpkin

1 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add in the pumpkin, oil, eggs, milk and vanilla; beat on medium speed until well mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 13 to 14 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Cool completely.

Makes 84 cookies.

Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes - Candied Fruit Cookies

Clueless about what gift to give that special person? Stop on by and browse our great gift ideas selection for some suggestions. [http://www.1MinuteSolutions.com]

Cookie Recipe - Old Fashioned Ice Box Cookies

My grandmother was known in our family for her delicious cookies. She lived two hours away from us, but when she would come to visit, she often brought these tasty ice box cookies. I think they were supposed to last for the whole week that she was there, but they barely made it through a couple of days. Of course, in the old days, they didn't have refrigerators. They had ice boxes, and that is how these cookies got their name.

Ingredients

\"Decorated Cookies\"

1 cup soft shortening

Cookie Recipe - Old Fashioned Ice Box Cookies

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups brown sugar

1 teaspoon soda

2 eggs

1 cup finely chopped nuts

3 1/2 cups flour

Instructions

Mix thoroughly the shortening, sugar, and eggs. Sift together the flour, salt, and soda. Blend in the nuts.

Now, on cutting board, or on a piece of wax paper, divide the cookie dough into two rolls. Wrap each roll in wax paper, making sure all of the dough is covered so none of it dries out. Chill these two rolls in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, when you are ready to make the cookies, take them out and cut the rolls into 1/8 inch slices. Place about an inch or so apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 8 to 10 minutes. This recipe should yield about 12 dozen cookies.

You may want to choose a day when your children are home from school because of a snow day. Enjoy an afternoon in the kitchen together preparing and baking these cookies. Then curl up and watch a movie together or play a board game at the kitchen table while you are munching on them!

Cookie Recipe - Old Fashioned Ice Box Cookies

For ideas and tips on homemaking, cooking, crafts, family life, gardening, family history, and a touch of the past, visit http://www.oldfashionedhomemaking.com.

Unusual Christmas Cookie Recipes - Poinsettia Cookies

These baked flower cookies are almost too pretty to eat.

1 cup butter, softened

Cookies

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Unusual Christmas Cookie Recipes - Poinsettia Cookies

1 egg

2 to 3 drops red food coloring

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup finely crushed red hot candies

Cookie Frosting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and confectioners' sugar. Beat in the egg and food coloring.

In another bowl, combine the flour and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the red hot candies.

Divide the dough in half; wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion of the dough into a a 12x10-inch rectangle. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 2-inch squares. Place 1-inch apart on prepared baking sheets.

Cut through the dough from the corner of each square to within 1/2-inch of the center. Fold the alternating points of the square to form a pinwheel (one corner folded in, the other left sticking out); pinch gently at the center to seal. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until set. Let cool.

Cookie Frosting

1 cup confectioners' sugar

4 teaspoons milk

Additional red hot candies

Directions

In a bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar and milk. Pipe 1/2 teaspoon of frosting into the center of each cookie; top with a red hot candy.

Makes 60 cookies.

=> Unusual Christmas Cookie Recipes: Mocha Cookie Pretzel Cookies

These cookies look like chocolate covered pretzels.

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups cake flour

Cookie Glaze

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Beat in the melted chocolate and vanilla.

In another bowl, combine the flour and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until the dough is easy to handle.

Divide the dough into four parts. Divide each portion into 12 pieces. Shape each piece into a 6-inch rope. Twist into a pretzel shape. Place 1-inch apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until set. Cool completely.

Cookie Glaze

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon shortening

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1 cup confectioners' sugar

3 to 5 tablespoons hot brewed coffee

2 squares white baking chocolate, chopped

Green colored sugar, optional

Directions

In the microwave, melt the semisweet chips, shortening and corn syrup; stir until smooth. Stir in the confectioners' sugar and enough coffee to achieve a glaze consistency. Dip cookies into the glaze; let excess drip off. Place on waxed paper and let set.

Melt the white chocolate, stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies. Decorate with green sugar. Let stand until set.

Makes 48 cookies.

=> Unusual Christmas Cookie Recipes: Chocolate Filled Poppy Seed Cookies

A truly unique cookie featuring poppy seeds and a dollop of chocolate in the middle.

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla.

In another bowl, combine the flour, poppy seeds and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2-inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately make an indentation in the center again. Cool slightly and fill with melted chocolate.

Makes 78 cookies.

Unusual Christmas Cookie Recipes - Poinsettia Cookies

Clueless about what gift to give that special person? Stop on by and browse our great gift ideas selection for some suggestions. [http://www.1MinuteSolutions.com]

How to Make Your Own Homemade Cookie Bouquets

We've all seen them. Clusters of big, gourmet cookies, individually wrapped in shiny, colored cellophane, with bows and ribbons. They come in many styles and with different treats, toys or gift items attached to or inside a basket or vase of some sort. They make a terrific and edible gift idea. After all, who doesn't love cookies? Sadly, they can be very expensive gifts, especially when considering that cookies don't cost a whole lot to bake.

Here's how to make your own cookie bouquets at home without spending a fortune!

\"Decorated Cookies\"

What You Will Need:

How to Make Your Own Homemade Cookie Bouquets

* Chopsticks or Wooden Skewers - Make sure they are heat-proof. If you're baking smaller cookies, then Popsicle sticks would also work.
* Cookies - Find a delicious cookie recipe that makes larger size cookies, your favorite or your gift recipients favorite will do fine.
* Container - This needs to be a sturdy container that is a bit bottom heavy, especially if you plan to include more than a few big cookies. You can try putting some pebbles in the bottom to make sure the container won't tip over, if needed. Some ideas for containers include: a coffee mug, a metal or plastic pail, a basket, a vase, a planter, cookie jar or glass jar, glass bottle, a toy or wood box of some sort, teapot, porcelain or pottery serving ware.
* Cellophane - The shiny, colored kind looks best, but the colored plastic wrap you get at your local supermarket would work too.
* Ribbon - The curly kind works well for this. Any colors you like.
* Decorations - Anything goes! What's appropriate to the occasion and what does the gift recipient like? Some ideas include: stuffed animals, small toys, candy, balloons, fake or real flowers, stickers or whatever you find at the local craft store.
* Block of Styrofoam or florists foam - You know that stereo you bought last December? You probably kept the box, just search your garage for some spare, clean, Styrofoam.
* Something to cover up the Styrofoam or florist's foam - You can use a big ribbon, some moss, plastic grass, tissue paper crumpled up or whatever else you have handy.

Instructions:

1. When you place the cookie dough on the cookie sheet, press the dough down a bit to flatten it so that it doesn't spread too much while baking and so that the stick can be inserted properly. Before you bake the cookies, you must insert the chopstick or wooden skewer into one side of each cookie. Push it in almost the length of the cookie without going out the other end. This is an important step, as if your cookie is too big and your stick is not sturdy enough, it simply won't hold it and the cookie may fall apart when you pick it up. When baking big cookies, you probably won't be able to fit more than 3 cookies with their sticks to a sheet.

2. After baking the cookies with their sticks, cool the cookies thoroughly, then wrap each one with the colored cellophane. A different color for each cookie would be ok, or all the same color appropriate to the occasion. Tie each one with some curly ribbon at the base where the stick comes out of the cookie. Tie it very tightly so the cookies will stay fresh on the stick. You can adorn each cookie with additional, larger ribbons or bows at this point. When using curly ribbon, don't forget to curl it!

3. Now cut your Styrofoam or florist's foam to the size of the top of the container you chose. Then fit the foam in so it is nice and tight and near the top of the container. Remember, you can place something heavier in the bottom of the container so that it does not tip over. Small pebbles work well for this. Remember that the sticks will poke through the foam and into the bottom of the container.

4. Here comes the fun part, let's assemble the cookie bouquet! Take each of your cookies and stick them through the foam so they go all the way through the foam and further, near to the bottom of the container. You can assemble the cookies in any manner you like, but most cookie bouquets have one cookie at the center that is taller than the other cookies, so keep that in mind. Decorate with additional ribbons, toys, candy, flowers, gifts etc. Each item can be attached with additional ribbon to the container or the sticks of the cookies or even with a glue gun (if appropriate).

5. Give your gift and watch the smiles! Make sure to give the bouquet as soon as possible after you have assembled it, you don't want the cookies to go stale!

Tips:

Make sure you bake enough cookies for your container, if baking small cookies, you may run out if you are filling a large container. Always bake more than enough. Surely your extras won't go to waste.

Bake both large and small cookies and use them both in the bouquet for a nice varied look like a more traditional flower bouquet.

More Ideas:

Some cookie bouquets use cutout cookies, these can be fun to make and decorate. Use your favorite sugar cookie cutout recipe and cut into shapes appropriate for the occasion. For cutout cookies to work, you may want to double your sugar cookie recipe as the cookies need to be nice and thick for the stick to go through them. For this type of cookie, wooden skewers will work best, chopsticks may be too thick. Then decorate the cookies with frosting. No need for colored cellophane with these cookies, use regular plastic wrap or clear cellophane so that the beauty of your hand decorated cookies shines through.

Remember, your cookie bouquet doesn't need to look professional, it's the homemade touch that makes it a truly special gift.

How to Make Your Own Homemade Cookie Bouquets

Ricky Alberta is the editor of Cookie-Recipes.net, the premiere website for cookie recipes of all kinds including chocolate chip, sugar, peanut butter and Christmas cookie recipes, cookie baking tips, a cookie blog and message boards.

The History of Cookie Decorating

We can thank the Swiss for bringing the cookie decorating tradition to life. Their now famous springerle cookies were the very first decorated cookies. These sweet, but hard, cookies are pressed into molds and pop out featuring the most intricately designed cookies you have ever seen. The first molds were discovered from the 14th century and are now considered national treasures and held in Swiss museums.

The Swiss also used rolling pins cleverly carved with designs to roll out highly ornate cookies. The images on these cookies rival the finest artwork of the master painters and sculptors. Decorators soon realized that they could combine egg yolks and food dyes to paint these cookies. Some even paint the cookies for decoration only with paint. Of course, you can't eat these beauties, but they will last and last and become a favorite holiday decoration.

\"Decorated Cookies\"

The first scenes on cookies were from the Bible. Because people were largely illiterate in ancient times, these cookies served as a way to tell important Bible messages to everyone. Even if you couldn't read the words, you could look at these beautiful images and understand the concepts they portrayed.

The History of Cookie Decorating

The Germans were next to promote cookie decorating. Back in medieval times, they made gingerbread, called Lebkuchen. The cookies were so revered that a guild of artisans called the Lebkuchen Guild banned together to make a law that only their members could bake gingerbread. The ban was lifted each year for the high holidays of Christmas and Easter. The common people, if they could afford the ingredients, were allowed to make their own gingerbread at these two times of the year.

Gingerbread cookie decorating spread throughout the world and during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I gingerbread cookies adorned with gold were given to court visitors. Master gingerbread decorators started to promote their gorgeous creations as Christmas ornaments.

In 1812, the Grimm Brothers published their now famous story, Hansel and Gretel. This classic tale of two children who encounter a witch who lives in an ornately decorated gingerbread house in the forest inspired a new love of the gingerbread cookie. Soon tinsmiths couldn't keep up with the demand for cookie cutters and molds designed to help bakers create elaborate gingerbread houses of their own. German cookie cutters are still prized today as among the best made and highly sought after by collectors.

Today cookie bakers can't imagine the holidays without decorated cookies. The popularity of Royal Icing has made home cookie decorating fun. It's easy to create interesting and realistic motifs on cookies using Royal Icing. This confectioner sugar-based icing dries rock hard, so once its set, it won't smear or run. This makes it ideal for decorating cookies that need to last through the season on the tree or that need to travel. You can eat Royal Icing, of course, but most cookies that are heavily decorated in Royal Icing tend to be treasured as ornaments or for display rather than eaten.

If you're looking into cookie decorating this year for your own holiday celebrations, you have more resources than you could ever imagine at your disposal. Visit a craft store and browse their cookie and cake decorating aisle. You will marvel at the tools and colors available for you to get started with.

The History of Cookie Decorating

Betty Ann Sherman is a mother and a baker of tasty treats and decorated cookies. She has a special passion for baking cookies, pies, cakes, and everything wonderful. Check back for updates from Betty on her delicious treat adventures.