Below is the recipe I've used unfailingly for over 35 years. Besides having a good recipe, the technique for pressing the dough is key. I never chill the dough, because it makes it just too hard to press through the disk. The dough needs a surface it can cling to, so the cookie sheet must be ungreased and must not have a non-stick surface like Teflon or silicone. I prefer heavyweight aluminum to any other kind.

If you can describe exactly in detail how your cookies were a failure, I might be able to give you more specific tips about what went wrong.

SPRITZ

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Oven 400 degrees F.

Thoroughly cream butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract; beat well.

Sift together flour and baking powder; add gradually to creamed mixture, mixing to smooth dough. Do not chill.

Force dough through cookie press onto ungreased sheet. Decorate if desired with colored sugar, nonpareils, chocolate shot, etc.

Bake in a hot oven (400°) 8 minutes, until just beginning to color on the edges. Cool.

Makes about 6 dozen, depending on size of press template.