Cookies

Helpful Hints

•Decorate cookies before baking by brushing them with slightly beaten egg white and adding one of the following:

1.Sprinkle with white or colored granulated sugar.

2.Place a nut or chocolate chip on center of cookie.

3.Decorate with small pieces of candied fruit, chopped nuts, coconut or chocolate sprinkles.

When using this egg white glaze, you may need to increase baking time about 1 minute.

•Decorate cookies after baking by:

1.Placing a small amount of jam or color frosting on top.

2.Brushing tops with sugar glaze then sprinkling with chopped nuts, coconut, decorative candy bits, etc.

3.Rolling warm cookies in powdered sugar.

4.Dipping half of cookie in melted semi-sweet chocolate then sprin- kling with ground nuts.

5.Brushing with thin glaze. Combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 4-5 tea- spoons hot milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well.

•Make sandwich cookies. Assemble and fill cookie press with desired frosting; use decorator tip. Make a small rosette in center of half of the cookie and press together gently.

Basic Spritz Cookies

1⁄2	cup butter or margarine, softened	2 teaspoons vanilla
1⁄2	cup vegetable shortening	2 cups all-purpose flour
3⁄4	cup granulated sugar	1⁄4	teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg		1⁄4	teaspoon salt

Place butter and shortening in large mixing bowl. Cream together on medium high speed. Add sugar gradually. Beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; mix well using medium speed. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in separate bowl. Add to butter/sugar mixture in three (3) addition. Dough will be stiff. Assemble and fill cookie press with dough; using desired disc. Press cookies on ungreased, uncoated baking sheet. Bake at 375°F 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges. Do not overbake.

Makes 6-7 dozen cookies.

Variations:

This recipe may varied in flavor and color by using different spices and/or extracts, or by adding food coloring to the dough in Step 3. The following variations will give you a good start.

Orange: Substitute 2 tablespoons orange extract for the vanilla; add 1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel.

Raspberry-Nut: Substitute 11⁄2 teaspoons coconut extract for the vanilla; 2 tablespoons seedless red raspberry jam. Sprinkle with chopped nuts before baking.