spritzapalooza!

Today was another big cookie baking day!

I just wanted to stop by real quick and 

share my two latest recipes with you all...

and I must apologize in advance if this has been 
too much of a cookie-filled month.

What are your favorite Christmas cookies to make?

I always make the traditional vanilla spritz cookies, but today I ventured out and tried a batch made with fresh orange zest instead of vanilla. The taste was delicate slightly citrusy, and really yummy!   

Orange Zest Spritz Cookies
Makes about 96 cookies

3 Sticks Unsalted butter (at room temperature)

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon orange zest

4 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then the salt and orange zest. Gradually add the flour, one cup at a time. Beat until well incorporated. Fill the cookie press and form cookies onto an ungreased and cool cookie sheet. Bake the spritz for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are golden brown on the edges.

Then comes the fun part, decorating with sprinkles, colored sugars or icing!  

And then I found a recipe for gingerbread spritz… My version features freshly grated nutmeg and ginger. 

I always have both of those ingredients ready to go in a little bowl next to my stove, and I use them both quite often in savory dishes as well as sweet ones like Irish oatmeal.

I also love a little nutmeg grated in the my empanada filling and fresh ginger usually gets grated into most of my rice and soup dishes. 

Here are the gingerbread little darlings after they were dusted with a little powdered sugar.

Gingerbread Spritz Cookies

Makes about 48 cookies

1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large mixing bowl beat together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, molasses and vanilla until well blended. Set aside. In another bowl, stir together flour, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Stir into creamed mixture until well mixed.

Refrigerate the cookie dough for ½ hour. Place ¼ of dough in a cookie press and press out cookies onto ungreased shiny silver baking sheet and make sure it’s cool for each pressing. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until set, but not brown. Cool for 2 minutes and then place on a wire rack to cool. If desired, decorate with powdered sugar.

I also got a new set of holiday spritz discs.

Check them all out in the first photo

(The fleur de lys is one of my faves!)

Hope to see you tomorrow!

ciao! fabiana