I am in a sharing mood.

Happy Christmas EVE! While I was growing up my Mom had the coolest kitchen tool, and we all loved to play with it. I think we might have even broken it (we tended to do that). Her cookie press was so awesome! It could make cookie dough into great shapes, and it was fun to watch her "press" the cookies. Because of this childhood memory, I bought myself a cookie press, wait, actually I think my Mom bought me my first cookie press. I started making Spritz cookies around the holiday's, and wore my first cookie press out. One Christmas Eve a few years ago, I got fed up with the old one and bought a new one from Wilton. The recipes that came with it, are pretty good, and my favorite Spritz cookie recipe is from them. Since I make 3 or 4 batches of these cookie every season, I thought I'd share the recipe with you guys. I don't know how this recipe works without a cookie press, but I am sure if you drop the cookies by rounded teaspoonfuls they will work beautifully! Classic Spritz Cookies 1 1/2 cups butter (margarine works too) 1 tsp. Vanilla 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 tsp. almond extract 1 egg 3 1/2 cups flour 2 Tbs. milk 1 tsp. baking powder Preheat oven to 375. Thoroughly cream butter and sugar. Add egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract; beat together well. Stir together flour and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing to make a smooth dough. Do not chill. Place dough into cookie press and press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet*. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Remove cookies from sheet; cool on rack. Makes 7-8 dozen cookies. *Like I said above, try using a teaspoon to drop onto cookie sheet if you don't have a cookie press. I always sprinkle cookies with red or green sugars before baking...they are more festive that way!