Cake Mix Lemon Spritz Cookies
Adapted from a Pampered Chef recipe
1 18.25 oz box lemon cake mix (you can use other flavors)
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 lb butter (4 sticks), room temperature
Food color, if desired (I added a few drops of yellow food color to
(The original recipe called for 1 tsp vanilla. I did not use. You could also use lemon extract to enhance the lemon flavor.)
Colored sugars or other decorations, optional
Preheat oven to 375.
Melt 2 sticks of butter in microwave. Cut the other 2 sticks into 1" pieces, and place in mixer bowl. Add the melted butter to the soft butter and mix to a creamy consistency. Add cake mix and flour and stir until well blended. Dough will be soft; do not refrigerate, or the dough will be too firm to go through the press.
Fill Cookie Press and press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet or baking stone one inch apart. Decorate with colored sugars and press lightly to adhere.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes, until firm but not brown. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet, then remove to cooling rack.
Classic Spritz Cookies
Modified from a Pampered Chef recipe
1 1/2 cups butter (3 sticks), softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (14 ounces)
Food coloring, if desired
Colored sugar or sprinkles (optional)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Beat butter on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar, egg and vanilla; beat well. Add flour, 1 cup at a time; mix well. Add food coloring, if desired, and mix well. Dough will be soft; do not refrigerate, or the dough will be too firm to go through the press.
Fill cookie press with dough. Press dough onto ungreased cookie sheet or baking stone one inch apart. Decorate cookies with colored sugar or sprinkles, if desired, and press lightly to adhere.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until firm but not brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove to cooling rack.
Recipe says it yields 6-7 dozen cookies; I got 5 dozen using the Christmas tree.