Snowflake Cookies Or Spritz Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, cream the shortening with the sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Sift the flour and salt into the creamed mixture and stir in gradually. Chill dough for at least one hour.
• Roll the chilled dough out to 1/8 inch thick and cut into desired shapes. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 6 to 8 minutes. Allow cookies to cool before decorating.

Steps:

• Cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth.
• Beat in egg yolk and extracts, then gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy.
• Mix together the flour and salt, then slowly add flour mixture just until well blended.
• Put dough in cookie press and make favorite shapes (wreath, tree, etc.).
• Sprinkle with colored sugar and bake in 350-degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
• Remove from oven and let set on baking sheet 3 minutes to set.
• Cool on wire rack.

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a large bowl, beat butter with brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add half of flour mixture, then 1/3 cup water, then remaining flour mixture, beating on low after each addition until just incorporated. Shape dough into 3 disks and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Working with one disk at a time, roll out to 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured parchment. Cover with a doily; gently roll to make an imprint. (Dough should now be about 1/8 inch thick.) Remove doily and freeze dough until firm, about 15 minutes. Cut dough first using a 5-inch snowflake-shaped cutter, then cut remaining dough using a 3-inch snowflake-shaped cutter and 1 1/2-inch snowflake-shaped cutter. Chill and reroll scraps. Arrange large cookies on one parchment-lined baking sheet and medium and small cookies on another; freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Bake until cookies set around edges, 16 to 18 minutes for large, 12 to 14 minutes for medium and small. Transfer cookies on sheets to wire racks; let cool completely.
• Whisk together confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. If necessary, add more milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until glaze is slightly thicker than heavy cream. Dip each cookie, design-side down, into glaze, tilting to evenly coat, then transfer to rack until glaze is set, about 10 minutes. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Steps:

• Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar well. (*See Note below).
• Beat in egg yolk, vanilla and orange zest.
• Sift together the flour, salt and cinnamon; gradually blend into creamed mixture.
• Fill cookie press and form cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes. Checking for a slightly set or very slightly browned cookie at 12 minutes. If needed, bake another 1-3 minutes.
• Remove at once to cooling racks.
• Decorate if desired or enjoy them plain. Store in an air-tight container and layered between foil or waxed paper, if needed. These cookies freeze well.