Spritz Cookies

My mother’s spritz were so wonderful you didn’t have to chew the cookie, just place in mouth and melt.  I admit that there are a lot of variables in making this cookie.  The simplicity of the ingredients should make it easy, not difficult, but these can be tricky.  I make them every year and have made many notes about do’s and dont's, which I note at the end of the recipe.  I like the battery or electric cookie presses.  They are worth the effort, I promise.  Don’t bother making these with anything but butter.

½ pound butter, room temperature but not too soft, wrapper should not be transparent

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 egg yolk

2 cups flour

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add the almond extract and egg yolk.
3. Add flour.  Use enough flour so that a silver knife (I love this) comes out clean when placed in the dough.
4. Put dough in a cookie press and press shapes in to cookie sheets.  This is where this recipe gets tricky.  Sometimes they stick to the pan, sometimes they don’t.  See my notes below.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.  They should be just barely brown on the bottom.  Do not over bake.

Notes:

1. Do not double recipe.  This is probably a superstition on my part.
2. Butter temperature is important.  Don’t make if the wrapper is transparent.
3. Have 3 or more cookie pans available.  When you are on a roll and cookies are sticking, don’t let up. 
4. I use a 3 second time (I say ‘1 Mississippi’ for each second) from when the press hit’s the pan and I press the button but that will vary with the type of press you use.
5. Make a batch of dough, then fill the press immediately.
6. The dough may have to be chilled of the kitchen is very warm.  Just briefly, if too long the butter will harden.