Tips and Recipes for Your Cookie Press

Cookie presses are great for creating elaborate looking treats with minimal effort. they can take awhile to get adjusted to using, but once you find your rhythm you are set to create cookies galore. These treats are great for holidays, birthday parties, receptions, as dessert at a dinner party, well, the list goes on.

So what are some tips for using a cookie press?

• Allow yourself plenty of time during the learning process.
• Read your instruction manual thoroughly.
• Use only recipes appropriate for a cookie press, anything with nuts, raisins, and other chunky ingredients will NOT press.
• Do NOT grease your baking sheet. 
• Press on your cookie press a little before starting with your cookies to release any air in front of the dough.
• Be sure to hold the cookie press flat to the baking sheet so that the dough will adhere to the sheet.
• Do not overload the fills or you will lose the shape of your cookie as it expands during baking.
• Keep in mind that practice makes perfect, your first few batches may not turn out exactly how you want. Just keep trying.
• Do not immediately lift the cookie press after pressing out your cookie. Give it time to stick or you'll take the cookie dough with you.
• Allow about 1 to 1 1/2 inches between the cookies.
• To keep from breaking your cookies be sure to allow them to cool before using a thin cookie spatula to remove them from the baking sheet.

The most common recipe for a cookie press is the Butter Cookie:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. softened butter
• 1 1/4 c. confectioners sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Sift flour & salt together; set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl, cream butter & sugar together. Stir in egg yolks, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Gradually blend in sifted flour and salt. Fill cookie press with dough and form cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. If you desire, decorate with sprinkles or sugar now.
4. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven.