After the past 3+ years of rolling out sugar cookies, decorating them with 5+ colors, I just don’t have the time to do that this year with this MS *finishing* up. (I hope.) So I sort of cheated this year, and my sugar cookies are coming from the cookie press. I baked them for only 8 minutes and threw some granulated sugar over them before baking. Overall, very happy with the cookie taste. Small for my liking, especially around this time of year. But oh so easy and quick. This is the same recipe that came with my WS cookie press.

Pressed Sugar Cookies
These simple vanilla sugar cookies are perfect for holiday baking. If desired, you can enhance the flavor with a pinch of cinnamon or a teaspoon of freshly grated lemon zest.

Ingredients:
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room
temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
Colored sugars or icings for decorating

Method:
Preheat an oven to 375°F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg, vanilla and salt and continue beating until well mixed. Using a spoon, stir in the flour until blended.

Pack the cookie dough into a cookie press according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Fit with the desired-shaped cookie plate and press the dough out onto ungreased baking sheets or sheets lined with Silpat nonstick liners, spacing the cookies 1 inch apart.

Bake until the cookies are light golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire racks and let cool. Decorate with colored sugars or icings as desired. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Makes 40 to 60 cookies.

Source: Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library Series,Cookies & Biscotti,by Kristine Kidd (Time-Life Books, 1993). | (Servings: –)