View Large Image Spritz Cookies Recipe Get ingredients: 8 oz (1 cup) butter (unsalted, room temperature, around 65° F / 18° C) 1 egg (large, room temperature) 1/4 tsp almond extract or lemon extract 1/2 tsp kosher salt 2 tsp vanilla extract 10.5 oz (2 1/3 cups) flour (all-purpose) 4.66 oz (2/3 cups) sugar (white, granulated) digital scale stand mixer plastic wrap spatula 1 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1/4 tsp Attach the paddle to the mixer. Add to mixer mixing bowl: 8 oz (1 cup) butter (chopped into about 8 pieces) 4.66 oz (2/3 cups) sugar Mix on medium speed until creamy (about 2 minutes). Add to mixer mixing bowl: 1 egg (whisked) 2 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp almond or lemon extract Mix on medium speed until well combined (about 1 minute). Set mixer to low speed. Add to mixer mixing bowl: 10.5 oz (2 1/3 cups) flour Mix until the flour just disappears (about 1 minute). Turn off the mixer. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill. When dough is done chilling, get ingredients: baking trays cookie press When the timer is done, remove the dough from the fridge. If there's anything in the oven, take it out. Set the oven to bake, 375° F (191° C). Using the cookie press, stamp the dough onto an ungreased, unlined baking tray. (The dough will not stick to a non-stick surface, like parchment paper.) If the dough becomes too warm, chill it again for 15-30 minutes and then continue stamping. Place the baking tray in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 6 minutes and not a second more (or until light golden). Let cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Optionally, get ingredients: 3 oz (1/2 cup) chocolate digital scale microwavable silicone bowl food processor Add the chocolate to the food processor. Chop the chocolate up as finely as possible. Add the chocolate to a small microwavable silicone bowl. Microwave at 100% power for 30 seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir with a spoon. Repeat for another 30 seconds, 15 seconds, 10 seconds, 5 seconds, but stop as soon as most of the chocolate is melted, and just stir to melt the remaining chocolate. Optionally, use a thermometer to make sure the chocolate does not go above 95° F (35° C) so it remains tempered. Ensure all chunks are completely melted. (Otherwise, they will clog up the piping bag.) Once the chocolate is melted, you will need to work quickly before it solidifies. Using a spatula, scoop the chocolate into a piping bag fitted with a 1/4-cm round tip. Tie off the piping bag (so the icing doesn't spill out the top). Pipe the chocolate onto the cookies in a zig-zag pattern. Optionally, put sprinkles on top of the chocolate.
