Tender and delicate, these intricately shaped cream cheese spritz cookies are as eye-catching as they are delicious. They're a perfect addition to any Christmas cookie tin!
Instructions
1
Cream the fats and sugar
2
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cream the shortening, cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until they're light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla. Editor's Tip: Spritz cookies don't contain leavening agents like baking soda or baking powder, which trap air inside the batter to give cookies their tender texture. Instead, creaming butter and sugar creates pockets of air to ensure spritz cookies become light and tender. Use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer to beat the mixture for about three to five minutes.
3
Add the dry ingredients
4
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cinnamon. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the orange zest and food coloring, if desired. Editor's Tip: To avoid overmixing the dough (which can make the cookies tough), add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture in two to three additions. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are only just combined.
5
Load the cookie press
6
Pack the dough into a cookie press fitted with the disk of your choice. Editor's Tip: Make sure to pack the dough firmly and press out any air pockets as you load the cookie press. This helps the cookie dough come out more evenly. If you're new to using a cookie press, be sure to follow the manufacturer's directions. Or call Grandma if you're using her vintage press!
7
Press and decorate the cookies
8
Press the dough 1 inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Decorate the cookies with candies and colored sugar as desired. Editor's Tip: If using butter instead of shortening, space the cookies 2 inches apart. Buttery cookie dough is more likely to spread.
9
Bake the spritz cookies
10
Bake the cookies until they're set, 9 to 12 minutes. Do not let the cookies brown. Remove the cookies from the pans and transfer them to wire racks to cool. Editor's Tip: To prevent browning, rotate the cookie sheet about halfway through baking time.
