Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies

I have owned a cookie press for a long time now.  I bought it at a Williams Sonoma outlet probably about 6 years ago.  Guess what?  I just used it for the first time! I bought it when I first started really being interested in cooking and baking, but the idea of using it always seemed kind of intimidating.  Then I saw this recipe for these cute spritz cookies, and now that the holiday season is here, I decided to go ahead and use my cookie press and make some classic spritz cookies. 

It took a little bit of practice, and I definitely need some more, but the good news is that this recipe makes a ton of cookies-so if you mess up a few (or quite a bit like I did), you still get plenty of gorgeous and impressive cookies.  I don't think I did a bad job for a first timer! 

This particular recipe I followed had cream cheese in it and it was very good.  I think I am going to try out some more recipes in the future-maybe one with almond in it.  If you have a cookie press, I think this is an excellent recipe to make those adorable cookies! 

Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies

14 tablespoons (1¾ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2½ cups all-purpose flour

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350ºF.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-low speed until the butter and cream cheese are soft and creamy, about 1 minute. Alternatively, you can do this in a large mixing bowl with a hand-held mixer.  Add the salt, then, while the mixer is running, slowly add in the sugar. Continue mixing on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer running, add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Stopping to scrape the mixer bowl as necessary. Reduce the speed to its lowest setting and gradually add flour, mixing until just incorporated.

Fill the cookie press with the dough. Spritz the cookies onto a baking sheet. The cookies won't expand too much, so you can fit quite a bit on one sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden brown and the cookies no longer look wet on top. Let the cookies cool for several minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to wire racks to cook completely.

Source: The Way the Cookie Crumbles