CREAM CHEESE SPRITZ COOKIES

Spritz cookies are one of the simplest cookies you will find and they come in many flavors. Our favorites are chocolate, butter and cream cheese. Traditionally, they are shaped with a cookie press, but if you do not have a cookie press, you can shape them in 1" balls and flatten them with a flat bottomed glass dipped in sugar. They are crispy, sweet and light as air.

These are Cream Cheese Spritz

2½ cups all purpose flour
1 cup butter (room temperature)
3 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup white sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar until it is light and fluffy (about 3 or 4 minutes). Beat in egg yolk and extracts. Add flour ½ cup at a time until well blended. Dough will be quite stiff.

Roll dough into logs and place in your cookie press (follow cookie press directions). If you do not have a cookie press, just roll them into 1" balls and flatten with a fork or the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake cookies at 375 for 10 to 12 minutes.

If you want to decorate these cookies for the holidays, you can brush a very small amount of egg white on each cookie and cover them with sprinkles. You can also press a small piece of maraschino cherry into the center of each cookie.

Hubby likes his plain, like this