Spritz Cookies

My Mom, in her cookie-crazy preparation for Christmas often included spritz cookies in the collection. They weren't my favorite, but with living far away from family every holiday season... it's easy to become nostalgic for things like these. A couple years ago I bought a spritz cookie press. Since then I've tried several times to make these cookies but have never gotten them to stick properly to the cookie sheet. That's how it found it's way onto my list. 

This recipe is definitely the one I'll come back to. It's a slightly modified butter cookie in spritz form. It was still a little tricky getting the dough to stick but overall these are probably my favorite spritz cookies I've ever had. I'll be keeping this recipe for when I get the bug for these again this Christmas. Next time, orange glaze, maybe?

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

zest of one orange

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Sift together the flour and salt; set aside.
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• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the egg yolks, almond extract and vanilla extract. Gradually blend in the sifted ingredients. Fill a cookie press with dough and shoot cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. If you like, decorate with sugar or sprinkles at this time.
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• Bake for 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven.
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