We like spritz – they are a fast, fancy cookie. I had to try this recipe from "The Taste of Home Baking Book" because it used shortening instead of butter and also used orange peel and cinnamon. I now confess, I used half shortening and half butter; the result was a crisper cookie than my usual all-butter recipe. If you aren’t going to use all butter, we thought the cinnamon was a nice touch.
I have made spritz with both my son and our grandkids – they can sprinkle on sugar or decorate them when they are younger, and as they get older, they can press them out also. We practice on a paper plate first. You need to make these cookies on a plain cookie sheet – they won’t stay down on the pan if you use parchment.
My old cookie press has lots of choices – there are even playing card suits – spades, clubs, hearts and diamonds, for your bridge club! I keep my press and cutters together in a plastic box – no searching at the last minute. I bought my latest press for $2 at the local church thrift shop, complete with box and book! I had a choice from a large box of them!
My old cookie press has lots of choices – there are even playing card suits – spades, clubs, hearts and diamonds, for your bridge club! I keep my press and cutters together in a plastic box – no searching at the last minute. I bought my latest press for $2 at the local church thrift shop, complete with box and book! I had a choice from a large box of them!
Don’t chill your dough – it needs to be soft to press out easily. If you are new, try a simpler pattern like the hearts. I also like my peanut butter cookie recipe pressed out for Spritz. You can also color the dough or frost and decorate spritz – there is infinite variety. All shortbread-type cookies are better if mellowed at least a day or two - the perfect make ahead. The baked cookies freeze well - I like to have them on hand for the holidays.
Cream Cheese Spritz
1 Cup Shortening (or half shortening and half butter)
3 Ounces Cream Cheese -- softened
1 Cup Sugar
1 Large Egg Yolk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Teaspoon Orange Peel -- very finely grated
2 ½ Cups Flour, All-purpose
½ Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
Food Coloring -- optional
Decorator Candies -- optional
Colored Sugar -- optional
In a mixing bowl, beat shortening and cream cheese until blended. Add sugar; beat until creamy. Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla, and orange peel. Combine the flour, salt and cinnamon; gradually add to creamed mixture. Add food coloring if desired - you may want to divide dough into portions and color each portion a different color, like pink or light green.
DON'T CHILL THE DOUGH. Using a cookie press, press dough 1" apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Decorate if desired with candies or sugars. Bake at 350° for 9-12 minutes until set (do not brown). Remove to wire racks to cool.
Put dough on cool sheets - let the sheets cool off while the last one is baking.
These can also be decorated with thin icing glaze, silver dragées, or chocolate sprinkles.
"9 Dozen"
$1.88 or 2¢ each if made with all shortening
$2.15 or 2¢ each if made with half butter and half shortening
Per Serving: 37 Calories; 2g Fat (51.8% calories from fat); trace Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 5mg Cholesterol; 21mg Sodium.
The flavors look delicious.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the tips on making these cookies. I love Spritz cookies, but have trouble with them. From now on I will follow your advice and not chill the dough or use parchment paper. I was doing both of those and driving myself crazy.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a long time since I had a good Spritz cookie and it's been years since I have made them.
ReplyDeleteWe made these on Christmas eve and they were delicious. We used all butter because we didn't have shortening and they were fine.
ReplyDelete