Grandma Wendts Almond Spritz Cookie Food

GRANDMA WENDT'S ALMOND SPRITZ COOKIE RECIPE

Steps:

• The directions for this recipe are for using the poinsettia shape disk.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Mix butter and sugar.
• Mix in remaining ingredients. This is the critical moment for this cookie; if it feels too tacky add 1/8-1/4 cup of additional flour.
• Refrigerate for 10 minutes or so (I usually make a double batch, and refrigerate the first batch while I am mixing the second batch.).
• Fill the press with dough and press onto ungreased cookie sheet. (I can usually put 24 on a large sheet; they don't spread much).
• Sprinkle each cookie with colored sugar. (My Mom used to place a cinnamon dot into the center of each cookie, but I skip that).
• Bake for 7 minutes; remove from pan to cool. (You may need to adjust this depending on your oven).

ALMOND BUTTER SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Line two or three cookie sheets or jelly roll pans with parchment paper or foil. Set racks on the top and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• In a bowl, soften the almond paste with the sugar and half of the eggs. Beat in the butter gradually, then gradually add the remaining eggs. Cream all of the ingredients until light. Add the flour all at once and mix until all the elements adhere. Do not over mix.
• Pipe 1/2 inch shapes onto the prepared pans with a 1/2 inch star tube (Ateco 4). Bake for about 15 minutes. Cool on the pans

ALMOND SPRITZ PRESS COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream shortening, adding sugar in gradually.
• Add unbeaten egg, sifted dry ingredients, flavoring and a few drops of food coloring. Mix well. (NOTE: you must sift the flour first and then measure or you will add too much flour and the dough will be too stiff!).
• Fill cookie press. Form cookies on ungreased cookie sheets using the tree plate. Decorate with tiny multi-colored sprinkles.
• Bake at 400°F for 6-8 minutes. Cool just slightly and remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. (If you wait too long, they will break when you try to move them.).

ALMOND CREAM SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
• Add sugar, almond extract, and vanilla.
• Beat till combined.
• Beat in flour.
• Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes or till easily worked but not too stiff.
• Pack dough into a cookie press.
• Force dough through press onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Sprinkle with almonds.
• Bake in a 375° oven for 8-10 minutes or till edges of cookies are firm but not brown.
• Remove cookies and cool on wire racks.

SWEDISH GROUND ALMOND SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread the almonds out on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned or until they give off an aroma. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool completely. Grind to a consistency resembling rough sand in a food processor or blender. Be sure almonds are cool, or you will make almond butter.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the almond extract and milk. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, and mix in along with the ground toasted almonds to form a soft dough. Refrigerate the dough for 15 to 20 minutes. This will help the cookies keep their shape after pressing.
• Lightly grease cookie sheets, and fill cookie press with dough. Press out cookies at least 1 inch apart depending on the size. You can experiment with different cookie designs. I've found most true Swedes tend to use the star shape, however, you're free to use whatever shape suits your fancy.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on the cookie sheets for a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE FILLED ALMOND SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• On a baking sheet roast almonds until lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes, toss every 2-3 minutes Allow to cool to room temperature.
• FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD---------------------.
• Grind almonds and sugar in a food processor until very fine.
• Cut butter into 16 chunks, with the processor add butter a chunk at a time.
• Process until creamy.
• Scrape down bowl.
• Add egg and extract, process until mixed, scrape down bowl.
• Add flour and salt, pulse until just combined.
• Scrape into a bowl.
• ELECTRIC MIXER METHOD--------------------------°- .
• Whisk flour and salt in a medium bowl.
• Cut butter in to 16 pcs, Allow butter and eggs to come to room temperature.
• Grind almonds to a fine powder (can be done with a rolling pin and a plastic bag).
• In a second medium bowl cream butter, sugar until very light and fluffy.
• Add almonds, beat until well combined.
• Lightly beat egg and extracts, add to butter mixture, beat until just combined.
• Stir in flour and salt until just combined.
• BOTH METHODS---------------------.
• With a cookie press or pastry bag fitted with a no 22 tip, put cookies on parchment lined cookie sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart.
• Decorate with colored sugar, etc.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Refrigerate Cookies on the sheet for 20 minutes, this will help them hold their shape.
• Bake cookies one pan at a time for 8-10 minutes (until very lightly browned), rotate pan halfway through the baking to promote even cooking.
• Allow to sit on sheet for 3-4 minutes, remove with an angled spatula to a rack.
• Cool completely.
• FILLING----------------------.
• Melt 3/4 of the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water (160 degrees or so) (bowl must not touch water).
• When chocolate starts to melt remove from heat and stir until smooth, add remaining chocolate and stir until smooth.
• Let the chocolate sit until it's no longer warm to the touch and SLOWLY beat in the butter.
• Do not over beat this mixture.
• Place the mixture in a freezer bag (corner cut off) or pastry bag and pipe it on to the bottom of 1/2 of the cookies.
• Cover with second half to form a sandwich.
• Do about 10 at a time as the chocolate mixture will start to set up.
• Let cookies set for 2 hours for filling to set 100%.
• Store covered in an airtight container for about a month.

ALMOND SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. , Using a cookie press fitted with the disk of your choice, press dough 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. If desired, sprinkle with colored sugar. , Bake at 375° for 7-9 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Cool on wire racks.

GRANDMA'S SPRITZ PRESS COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix butter, sugar, extract, salt, and egg together (I recommend a Kitchen Aid).
• Slowly add flour to the wet ingredients.
• Add food coloring (if desired)
• Load dough into cookie press.
• Press cookies onto cookie sheet.
• Decorate.
• Bake a 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes.
• Cookies will not brown when done.

GREAT-GRANDMAS SWEDISH SPRITZ RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• Beat butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Slowly add sugar while beating until the mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add the egg yolks one at a time, allowing the first to blend into the butter mixture before adding the other. Beat egg white and almond extract into the mixture. Pour the flour in small amounts into the mixture while beating; continue beating until fully incorporated.
• Using a cookie press, press dough onto prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.