Thursday, December 11, 2008

The 12 Days of Cookies - A Gourmet cookie extravaganza

This wonderful event is the brain child of Andrea of Andreas Recipes. How I got asked to be involved with this incredible group is beyond me but all the thanks goes to Kelly of Sass & Veracity. There are 7 of us that have decided to do The 12 Days of Cookies - A Gourmet cookie extravaganza. We will be choosing, baking, tasting, blogging and sharing with you a cookie a day for the next 12 days of December.

These cookies are coming from Gourmet's Favorite Cookie Recipes: 1941-2008.
They’ve published a lot of cookie recipes in their 68-year history, many of them around the winter holidays. This season they decided to choose the very best from each year.

These are my partners in crime. We will all be choosing different cookies and surprising each other. How fun is that???? Be sure to check out their selections for the day!

Jerry - Cooking...by the seat of my Pants
Sandy -At the Baker's Bench
Courtney - Coco Cooks
Kelly - Sass & Veracity
Claire - The Barefoot Kitchen
Andrea - Andreas Recipes


Day 11 of the 12 Days of Cookies features Spritz or Norwegian Butter Cookies!

Simple, classic, and very buttery, these Norwegian cookies are typically made with a cookie press. But we like them just as much when they are baked in rounds or piped into little S’s (using a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip).- Gourmet

Spritz or Norwegian Butter Cookies - March 1983 (link to the recipe as it was originally printed)

Ingredients:
  • 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour sifted with 1/2 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
  • In a large bowl cream the butter, beat in the sugar, a little at a time, the vanilla, and the almond extract, and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy.
  • Add the egg and combine the mixture well.
  • Add the flour mixture and combine the dough well.
  • Form the dough into walnut-size balls and arrange the balls 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Using a fork flatten the balls 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Using a fork flatten the balls to form cookies 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick, making a crosshatch design.
  • Bake the cookies in a preheated moderate oven (350° F.) for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are golden around the edges, and transfer them with a spatula to racks to cool. Store the cookies in airtight containers. Makes about 70 cookies.
Can you see how flaky and buttery they look? I have eaten way too many of these ones!

I truly love these cookies. They were my test to see if I could succeed at making a butter cookie after this disaster! Well I can and very well too! I wanted to dress them up a little so I sprinkled some red and green sprinkles on them and I think it made them look very festive. I wasn't going to try piping them as I was already a little gun shy after my last ones so they did get balled and flattened. I loved the way these tasted and so have the girl's. They love being able to take a different type of cookie to school with them each and every day!

Would I make these again? Most definitely. I think with the sprinkles they will be very good in cookies tins for gifts. These will be made again next week!

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

11 comments:

Dharm said...

Those look just so delectable. They remind me of the Danish Butter cookies you get in tins - only better!!

Peter M said...

Judy, these are relatives of shortbreads but with the almond goodness and PMA-worthy!

glamah16 said...

Now why didnt I notice these. I would to try them and piepe them. They are so festive looking and sounds like a cookie everyone would enjoy.

Susan @ SGCC said...

I absolutely love spritz cookies! They were the first holiday cookie I learned to make. Yours look perfectly buttery and delicious too!

Just want you to know that I've enjoyed all of the cookies you've made for this series. With all that he been going on, I haven't been able to make the blog rounds to leave comments, but I have been paying attention. Good work!

Núria said...

Great job, Judy! I love your coloured special touch in them :D!

You Americans are all crazy baking cookies these days ;D, not only the Extravaganza group... I just discovered is so traditional to do it for Xmas :D

Anonymous said...

I can just taste these, and they are so pretty! I used to have one of those cookie presses and made these for my big boys. You are so right about eating too many of them. Yummy!

Patsyk said...

I love cookies like these! It's nice to see that you had success with them and didn't have to use a cookie press to do it... I've got to get myself to where I will try that again.

Thistlemoon said...

Those are so cute and festive! Hope you got your girls in on the sprinkle action!

Andrea Meyers said...

We love spritz cookies and yours look wonderful; perfect texture.

Judy@nofearentertaining said...

Hey Dharm-They were just like them...only better!!

Hey Peter-These were very shortbread like! Thanks for the PMA!

Hey Courtney-They look so pretty piped and yes, they would please everyone!

Hi Susan-Thanks so much...I know your out there. Get through your stuff. My thoughts and prayers are with you all!!!

Hey Nuria-Thanks It really is a holiday tradition! All of my friends and the girls teachers get cookies for Christmas gifts!

Hey Kelly-Way too easy to eat too many!

Hey Patsy-I liked these and they did turn out well even without a press!

Hi Jenn-They are cute aren't they. No unfortunately the girls have been so busy with everything that they have missed the cookie making altogether.

Thanks Andrea!

Anonymous said...

I just don't know which cookie looks better!! I'm in doubt with Spritz cookies and chocolate wafers! They looks so yummy! These pics are enough to watering mouth!