Recipe: McCall's Spritz Cookies with Variations

SPRITZ COOKIES
Source: McCall's Cooking School, 1982
Makes 4 dozen cookies

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter or regular margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk,
1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp almond extract
cinnamon candies
angelica or green candied cherries
miniature colored nonpareils
red and green sugar
silver dragees

Refrigerate several large ungreased cookie sheets until ready to use.

Sift flour with salt, set aside.

In large bowl, using portable electric mixer at medium speed, or wooden spoon, beat soft butter, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla until smooth and fluffy.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in one third flour mixture at a time, beating until smooth and well combined. Fill cookie press with dough. Then make into shapes (listed below). (If dough is warm, refrigerate it, but keep it pliable. It will be crumbly if too cold).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes, or until light golden. Remove to wire rack; cool.

FOR WREATHS:
Use star disk. Force dough onto cold cookie sheet in a
12-inch strip; cut strip into three parts. Form each part into a circle. Continue forming wreaths. Decorate with cinnamon candies and angelica or candied cherries.

FOR CHRISTMAS TREES, ROSETTES OR STARS:
Use Christmas tree, rosette or star disk. For each, stand press upright on cold cookie sheet. Force out dough to form tree, rosette or star. Release pressure; lift up slightly to cut off dough. Cookies should be 1 1/2-inches apart. Sprinkle trees and rosettes with nonpareils. Sprinkle stars with red or green sugar, and place one silver dragee in center of each. Bake 8 to 10 minutes; cool as above.

FOR SUGAR BARS:
Use a striped bar disk. Force dough onto cold cookie sheet in a 12-inch strip; cut strip into four 3-inch bars; place 1 inch apart. Continue forming bars. Sprinkle with red sugar. Bake and cool as directed above.