INGREDIENTS

• 1½ cups (375 mL) butter (3 sticks), softened not melted
• 1 cup (250 mL) sugar
• 1   egg
• 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract (Add 1 tsp (5 mL) almond extract if desired.)
• 3½ cups (875 mL) all-purpose flour
•  Colored sugar or sprinkles (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes or until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla; beat well. Add the flour; mix on low speed just until blended. Fit the Cookie Press with the desired disk and fill it with the dough. Press the dough onto the Cookie Sheet 1″ (2.5 cm) apart. Sprinkle with colored sugar, if desired. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown. Cool the cookies for 2 minutes then remove to a wire rack.

Chocolate Spritz Cookies: Increase sugar to 1¼ cups (300 mL). Decrease flour to 3 cups (750 mL). Combine flour and ⅓ cup (75 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder in a medium mixing bowl; blend well. Proceed as the recipe directs.

TIPS FOR (NEARLY) PERFECT SPRITZ COOKIES

• Weigh your flour.
• Make dough day-of: for the best performance, make the dough right before you intend to use it.
• If you need to make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze, wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap. Must be room temp to use.
• Chill the pan. Chilling your cookie sheet in the fridge for 5-10 minutes before dispensing cookies helps the cookies to stick to the pan and keep their shape when baking.
• Do not use parchment paper.
• To dispense dough, twist the handle till you can see the dough start to come out. Place the cookie press standing up on the cookie sheet, twist to dispense until you feel a bit of resistance and then lift straight up.
• Decorate before baking. Add sprinkles, jimmies or nonpareils on top of cookies before baking so they bake right in.
• Freeze baked cookies. Place in an airtight container and can be frozen for up to 3 months.