What is a Spritz cookie?

They're basically a generic buttery cookie dough which was squeezed out of a cookie press and baked. Spritz cookies are originally a Christmas Cookie

Spritz Cookies (Spritzgeback)

2 cups butter, room temperature*

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg, well beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

* You must use butter in this recipe. The secret of a great spritz cookie is a dough that is fat enough to press or pipe yet sturdy enough to hold it shape in the oven. It must be butter.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Refrigerate UNGREASED cookie sheets until ready to use. NOTE: Pressing the dough out onto cool, ungreased baking sheets makes it possible for each application to stick on contact. You will need to clean off the cookie sheets between batches.

In a large bowl, mix butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar; cream until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well; stir in vanilla extract. Gradually add flour to mixture, beating well after each addition.

The secret lies in the dough, which should be neither too soft nor too firm. It it is too soft, the cookies will have no definition, and if the dough is to firm, the cookies will bake too dry. To test the dough's consistency before baking a batch, press a small amount of dough through the cookie press cylinder.

If the dough is too soft so that it doesn't go through cleanly, chill the dough for about 15 minutes.

If the dough seems too firm, stir into the dough about 1 or 2 teaspoons whole milk.

If dough becomes too soft during use, refrigerate dough about 5 minutes or until firm enough to hold its shape (the dough will crumble if it is too cold, and it won't stick to the cookie sheet)

Pack the dough into a cookie press fitted with desired template (disks can include wreath shapes, stars, crescents, etc). Begin cranking and twisting (if you use an automatic cookie press follow manufacturer's instructions) the cookie dough through cookie press, forming desired shapes, onto chilled ungreased cookie sheets about 1-inch apart. NOTE: Hold the press upright in relation to the cookie sheet with the "legs" resting flat, and force out the dough until it appears at the edge of the mold, then lift the press away. Keep your cookies about 1-inch apart on the cookie sheet.

OR

If you want to make some savory snacks, here are some ideas:

Savoury Cheddar Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

Makes about 36

1-1/2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 egg yolk

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup finely chopped pecans or unblanched almonds

1 cup hot pepper jelly

Preheat oven to 350 F. In food processor, pulse together cheddar and parmesan cheeses and butter until smooth. Add egg yolk and pepper; pulse until blended. Add flour; pulse just until soft dough forms. Place pecans on plate. Place 1 cup water in bowl. With hands, roll scant tablespoonfuls (15 ml) of dough into 1-inch balls. Dip in water; roll in nuts to coat. Place on ungreased baking sheet. With thumb, make indentation in center of each. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Bake 15 minutes or until firm outside and lightly golden. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the baking sheet on a cooling rack, allowing the cookies to cool directly on the baking sheet. At this point cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature or frozen. Before serving, fill indentations with hot pepper jelly. If you have stored the cookies for a time before serving them, you can re-crisp them by baking them at 350 F for 3 minutes, then allow them to cool fully before adding the jelly.

OR

Spicy Cheese Shortbread

Makes about 36

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 F. Toss together cheese, flour, mustard and cayenne. Mix in butter. Knead with your hands to form a dough. If the dough feels very dry, add a tablespoon of water. On a floured surface, roll out half the dough to a thickness between 1/8- and 1/4-inch. Cut out with star, heart or leaf-shaped cookie cutters. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned on the bottom. Remove to a rack to cool.

1

The pre-made dough would be too firm to pipe through a cookie press. And...if you are talking about the bag of dry cookie dough, there isn't that much difference in the work required. I think best to do the traditional dough. Super simple recipe here * 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour * 1 teaspoon baking powder * 1 1/2 cups butter softened * 1 cup granulated sugar * 1 egg * 2 tablespoons milk * 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract * 1/2 teaspoon no-color almond extract Makes: 7-8 dozen cookies.

Spritz cookies are a soft butter dough pressed through a special cookie press to make various shapes - they are not easy and you have to have the special piece of equipment.

These party snacks look pretty yummayy! :)

Click on da link!

http://recipes.robbiehaf.com/Appetizers.html

And here are some spritz cookies too!

http://www.recipegoldmine.com/cookpress/cookpress....

They are German cookies made with the help of a cookie press , here are several recipes

http://img.alibaba.com/photo/50127918/Cookie_Press...

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Desserts/Cookies/But...