Vanilla Bean Spritz Wreaths Recipes

PEPPERMINT-SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Whisk in vanilla. Glaze can be stored at room temperature, with plastic wrap pressed directly on surface, up to 3 days; whisk before using. (Makes 2 cups.)
• Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter with granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add yolk, flour, salt, peppermint extract, and milk; beat to combine.
• Fill a cookie press with dough and fit with a wreath disk. Press cookies directly onto unlined baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until just golden on edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Working in batches, add a drop of food coloring to a small amount of glaze (about 1/4 cup); use a toothpick to swirl a tiny bit. Dip tops of cookies in glaze, then turn glaze-sides up and place on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips to set. (As you dip, colors will become more combined and no longer look like swirls; change to fresh glaze at this point.) For additional "swirls," dip a toothpick in red glaze and drizzle over cookies. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

HOLIDAY WREATHS WITH CHERRIES SPRITZ COOKIES FOR COOKIE PRESS

Steps:

• With an electric mixer (can be done by hand, but it's a lot of work!), cream butter & cream cheese until light.
• Add the granulated sugar to butter blend and beat until light and fluffy.
• Beat in egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract.
• In a separate large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt).
• Gradually blend in flour with creamed butter mixture.
• Chill dough for minimum 4 hours.
• After dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350°F.
• Add chilled dough to cookie press, use wreath shaping disc.
• Press cookies onto lightly greased cookie sheet or baking stone (baking stone recommended).
• Sprinkle green decorator sugar (granulated) over cookies.
• Add 1 cherry in middle of each wreath.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until slightly browned. Do not over bake
• Let cool on wire cooling rack before serving.

VANILLA-BEAN SPRITZ WREATHS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour, salt, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
• Beat vanilla seeds and 1 cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until incorporated, about 3 minutes (sugar will clump together slightly). Add butter, and beat until pale and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, and beat just until smooth.
• Divide dough into 3 portions. Pack 1 portion into a cookie press fitted with wreath disk (cover remaining portions with an inverted bowl or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before using), and press shapes about 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake until edges are just golden, 9 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine remaining 2 teaspoons cinnamon with remaining 4 teaspoons sugar. Sprinkle over hot cookies. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Repeat. Cookies can be stored in a single layer in airtight containers at room temperature up to 4 days.