There isn’t a more reliable holiday cookie than the spritz. A buttery, sugar cookie dough base provides a confectionary empty canvas and just one batch makes an ample four dozen cookies. When pushed through various plates of a cookie press, the dough is transformed into tiny trees, flowers, stars and other unrecognizable shapes.

On one hand, spritz cookies are nowhere near my favorite; they’re pretty basic and simple in flavor. On the other hand, and for the same reasons, I couldn’t not include them in my holiday cookie lineup. Growing up, we always made spritz cookies and the best part was using colored sugar to decorate them. My mom would even dye half of the batch green to press through the tree-shaped plate. And, on December 26th, when I take inventory of what’s left of our annual Christmas gathering, I usually find half a bottle of wine, forgotten serving plates and bowls from generous guests and about a dozen spritz cookies.

Those last few sugar coated, dyed, buttery cookies taste their best, for some reason, once the hustle and bustle has subsided. The final batch in 2015’s series of holiday sweets, these cream cheese spritz cookies won’t fail you. And, if you don’t have a press, roll them into balls, flatten them and bake into rounds. Just be sure to set aside a few for yourself, to enjoy when the dust settles.

Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies

From Wilton

1 cup softened, unsalted butter

3 oz. softened cream cheese

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

2 ½ cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and cream cheese together. Add sugar and mix well until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and almond extract. Mix well. Gradually add flour and salt to cream mixture. Shape dough in small logs and place in cookie press. Press cookies onto cool ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.