Bill Boggs Spritz Cookies Recipes

SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the over and preheat to 375 degrees.
• In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together on medium speed the butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating smooth after each addition. Scrape down the side of the bowl and beater. On low speed, add the flour and mix only until it is completely absorbed. Remove the bowls from the mixer and finish mixing the dough with a large rubber spatula.
• Insert a die into the cookie press, then fill it with about a quarter of the dough. Press the cookies out onto the prepared pans, leaving 1-inch around all cookies. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or just until they are a very pale golden color. Slide the paper from the pans onto the racks. If desired, decorate with bits of candied fruit, raisins or nuts; make into sandiwches with ganache or melted milk chocolate; or dip partially into chocolate that may further be dipped into chopped nuts or shaved chocolate. Store the cooled cookies between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.

BILL BOGGS SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift together flour and salt. In an electric mixer cream butter and gradually add brown sugar. Beat until lighter and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Add the dry ingredients gradually. Do not over mix. Press dough, using a cookie press, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Decorate if desired. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes until they are light golden brown.;

SUPER SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. With an electric mixer at high speed cream butter until soft.
• 2. Add sugar gradually, continuing to cream about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
• 3. Add egg yolks one at a time. Add vanilla. Beat well.
• 4. Add flour in three additions. Mix well after each addition. Dough will be stiff.
• 5. Shape dough into 2 rolls. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour.
• 6. Assemble gun. Fill with cookie dough.
• 7. Bake 7-10 minutes (I bake for 9 minutes) until just starting to turn light brown around the edges, being careful not to overbake.

BUTTER SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and the egg and mix to incorporate; don't worry if the mixture seems to separate.
• Sift together the flour and baking powder and add to the creamed butter. Mix until combined. Using a cookie press, press the cookies onto ungreased baking sheets. Top with sprinkles of your choice. Bake until firm but not yet browning, 6 to 8 minutes. After a few minutes, move cookies to a rack and cool.

SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 400 degrees F. Combine powdered sugar and shortening in a large bowl; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, salt, water, vanilla and almond extracts. Using a spoon, stir in flour until well mixed.
• FIT cookie press with desired template. Fill cookie press; press dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar, if desired.
• BAKE 7 to 9 minutes or until set, but not brown. Cool one minute. Remove to cooling rack.

SPRITZ COOKIES WITH VARIATIONS (AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN)

Steps:

• Adjust an oven rack to the middle position; heat the oven to 375°F In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk, cream, and vanilla with a fork until combined; set aside.
• In a standing mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and salt at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer running at medium speed, add the yolk-cream mixture and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl. With the mixer running at low speed, gradually beat in the flour until combined. Scrape down the bowl and give a final stir with the rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain.
• If using a cookie press to form the cookies, follow the manufacturer's instructions to fill the press; if using a pastry bag (see TECHNIQUE below). Press or pipe cookies onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, until the cookies are light golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet until just warm, 10 to 15 minutes; using a metal spatula, transfer them to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
• FOR LEMON SPRITZ COOKIES: Follow the recipe for Spritz Cookies, adding 1 teaspoon lemon juice to the yolk-cream mixture in step 1 and adding 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest to the butter along with the sugar and salt in step 2.
• FOR ALMOND SPRITZ COOKIES: Grind ½ cup sliced almonds and 2 tablespoons of the flour called for in Spritz Cookies in a food processor until powdery and evenly fine, about 1 minute; combine the almond mixture with the remaining flour. Follow the recipe for Spritz Cookies, substituting 3/4 teaspoon almond extract for the vanilla.
• TECHNIQUE: Filling a Pastry Bag: (1) Make a C shape with one hand and hold the piping bag. Fold the bag over that hand about halfway down, insert the tip, and scrape the dough into the bag. (2) When the bag is about half full, pull up the sides, push down the dough, and twist tightly while again pushing down on the dough to squeeze out any air. (3) Grab the bag at the base of the twist. Using the other hand as a guide, hold the top at a 90-degree angle about 1/2-inch above the baking sheet and squeeze to form the shape.

CLASSIC SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, salt, egg, almond extract and a few drops of food color.
• Place dough in cookie press. Form desired shapes on ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate with currants.
• Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. To decorate cookies after baking, use a drop of corn syrup to attach decorations to cookies.