Holiday Wreaths With Cherries Spritz Cookies For Cookie Press Recipes

HOLIDAY SPRITZ WREATHS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the sugar blend, butter and oil until well blended. Beat in eggs and extract. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, allspice and baking soda; gradually add to butter mixture and mix well. Beat in food coloring. , Using a cookie press fitted with a wreath-shaped disk, press dough 1 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Decorate with holiday sprinkles. , Bake at 375° for 7-10 minutes or until set (do not brown). Remove to wire racks.

HOLIDAY SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, milk and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture just until combined. Stir in food coloring if desired. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. , Fill cookie press and form into desired shapes on ungreased baking sheets. Decorate with sprinkles and colored sugars. , Bake at 400° for 8 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Cool on wire racks.

HOLIDAY SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Stir flour, salt and baking powder in medium bowl until well blended. Beat shortening, butter and powdered sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, almond extract and food color. Beat in flour mixture gradually until blended.
• Fit cookie press with Christmas tree or wreath plate according to manufacturer's instructions. Fill cookie press according to instructions. Press dough onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 6 to 7 minutes or until set, but not brown. Cool 1 minute on baking sheet. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.
• Place frosting in large heavy-duty resealable plastic bag. Microwave on HIGH 20 to 30 seconds to soften. Knead. Cut very small bottom corner off bag. Drizzle over cookies in a decorative pattern. Place candy bits from frosting in medium bowl. Hold cookie over bowl and sprinkle with candy bits. Let stand 15 minutes or until frosting is set.

HOLIDAY WREATHS WITH CHERRIES SPRITZ COOKIES FOR COOKIE PRESS

Steps:

• With an electric mixer (can be done by hand, but it's a lot of work!), cream butter & cream cheese until light.
• Add the granulated sugar to butter blend and beat until light and fluffy.
• Beat in egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract.
• In a separate large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt).
• Gradually blend in flour with creamed butter mixture.
• Chill dough for minimum 4 hours.
• After dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350°F.
• Add chilled dough to cookie press, use wreath shaping disc.
• Press cookies onto lightly greased cookie sheet or baking stone (baking stone recommended).
• Sprinkle green decorator sugar (granulated) over cookies.
• Add 1 cherry in middle of each wreath.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until slightly browned. Do not over bake
• Let cool on wire cooling rack before serving.

SPRITZ CHRISTMAS WREATH COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the salt, the vanilla, and the egg yolks, and beat the mixture until it is smooth. Add the flour and beat the dough until it is just combined. Pack the dough into a cookie press fitted with the wreath disk and press cookies about 1 inch apart onto cool, ungreased baking sheets. Brush the cookies lightly with the egg wash, sprinkle them with the decorating sugar, and arrange the cherry slices decoratively on them. Bake the cookies in batches in the middle of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are pale golden. Transfer the cookies to racks and let them cool. (Do not let the cookies cool on the sheets.) The cookies may be made 2 months in advance and kept frozen in airtight containers.

SPRITZ WREATHS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pack dough into a cookie press fitted with wreath disk and press about 1 inch apart onto cool ungreased baking sheets. Brush cookies lightly with egg-white wash and sprinkle with decorating sugar. Arrange cherry slivers to form bow shapes.
• Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven until edges are pale golden, about 12 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes and transfer to racks to cool completely. (Cookies will stick to sheets if cooled too long on them.) Cookies may be stored between layers of wax paper in airtight containers up to 6 weeks frozen.