Spritz

Source: Rose's Christmas Cookies

Another family favorite for Christmas. Grandma Pepler always made these at Christmas and they are Mom’s favorite. They freeze wonderfully and can be crisped-up by heating in the oven for a few minutes and leaving to cool - just like fresh-baked but without the fuss. These have a nice almond flavor.

1

cup

sliced almonds

3

ounces

85

grams

1½

cup

sugar (caster)

10½

ounces

300

grams

2

cup

unsalted butter, softened

16

ounces

455

grams

2

large

eggs

2

tsp

vanilla

10

ml

2

tsp

almond extract

10

ml

4

cups

flour

20

ounces

565

grams

1

pinch

salt

Preheat oven to 375°F [180°C].
Place almonds on a cookie sheet and bake them, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Cool completely. Grate the almonds powder fine.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy.
Add the eggs and extracts and beat until blended.
On low speed, gradually add the flour, almonds and salt and mix until incorporated.

Scoop the dough into the cookie press fitted with the flat, ridged plate (see picture, below).
Carefully draw the press across the cookie sheet (lengthwise), allowing the dough to lay flat.
At the end of each row, stop the pressure about an inch before the end.
Use a knife (or your finger) to break the dough off the press.

Continue pressing the dough so that 3 or 4 rows are made per sheet.
Sprinkle red and green colored sugar on the cookies (pastel colors for Easter, red & blue for summer, etc.).
Bake the cookies 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned along the edges.
You may need to rotate the sheets halfway through the baking, if they are not baking evenly.

Immediately upon removing from the oven, cut the long bars into shorter sections using a knife or the edge of a spatula.
As soon as they are cut, loosen them from the baking sheet before they cool.
Once they are loosened, you can then easily move them to a rack to cool completely.
If they cool on the sheet before loosening, they will stick. If this happens, return them to the oven for a minute or two, then remove them.

Store in an airtight container or freeze.
They will keep 1 month at room temperature or several months frozen.

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