Are these “sprite” cookies? Or “spirit” cookies? Or “spritz” cookies?

One of the challenges of handwritten recipes is that sometimes they come with spelling errors, mistakes and other little foibles that come along with being human. It also makes it part of the fun! This recipe is for spritz cookies, those not-too-sweet butter cookies that are so popular around Christmas time. They are also called press cookies because you press the soft dough through a cookie press, making it into various shapes, and then they can be decorated or left alone.

The name originates from the German Spritzgebäck, which is a traditional German Christmas cookie. They are dry, fragile and delicious. The verb spritzen translates as “to squirt” and so, we have squirted or pressed cookies.

Just like Mom’s – borrowed image from Burford Designs

Cookie presses are still very popular, but I have fond memories of the Mirro press we used when I was a kid. My sister has it now – I have a new fangled one made of plastic with a trigger. The old style ones have a twisting screw that drives the press and forces the dough out the tip. While the new ones also have the twisting screw, they use a trigger to drive it. I don’t have a preference of one style over the other, except to say that the memories are better with the Mirro. With both types, I recommend letting your cookie pans cool thoroughly before you press more dough onto them. Warm pans seem to prevent the dough from sticking enough to release it from the press.

Sprit(z) Cookies

1 cup butter – part Crisco

1 cup powdered sugar

1 egg yolk

2 T sweet cream

2 1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond

Bake 350