Christmas Cookies with Cookie Press
Delicate pressed butter cookies with a tender texture and lightly golden finish. The dough is shaped directly onto the baking sheet with a cookie press, chilled briefly to preserve the designs, and finished with optional sprinkles, cherries, or chocolate.
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Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup butter softened thoroughly at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Optional toppings:
- Cherries as desired
- Decorative sprinkles such as Wilton
- Chocolate as desired
Instructions
- Place the very soft butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar and continue beating for approximately 2 minutes, or until the butter and sugar are thoroughly blended.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla, beating at medium speed until evenly incorporated.
- Add the salt, then gradually work in 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour. Beat only until the flour has combined with the remaining ingredients.
- Transfer the prepared dough into a cookie press, packing it firmly so the dough dispenses evenly and produces well-defined shapes.
- Press the cookies directly onto an unlined baking sheet. Do not place parchment paper beneath the dough.
- If desired, decorate the shaped cookies with sprinkles or place a cherry on top.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- While the oven comes to temperature, place the baking sheet of pressed cookies in the refrigerator. Chilling helps the cookies retain their decorative shapes while baking.
- Bake for approximately 10 minutes, or until the cookies become lightly golden.
- Watch the cookies carefully toward the end of baking, since the exact cooking time may vary according to the oven and the size of the pressed shapes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool slightly before carefully lifting them from the pan.
- If desired, finish the warm cookies with a small amount of chocolate or half a cherry.
- Allow the cookies to finish cooling, then serve and enjoy as a festive holiday treat.
Notes
For the best-defined shapes, pack the cookie press firmly and press the dough directly onto the baking sheet rather than parchment paper.
Briefly refrigerating the shaped cookies before baking helps prevent the designs from spreading.
Sprinkles, chocolate, and cherries are optional and may be used according to preference.