This Surprising Ingredient Will Make Your Holiday Cookies Delightful!

CINDY BOUGHT ME A NEW COOKIE PRESS!

Thank God for Cindy from Grey Eagle, Minnesota, I'm able to make my children's favorite cookies for the whole month of December. Spritz cookies! My cookie press tore up last year, and Cindy was kind enough to find me the old-fashioned metal ones, just like my mom used to have, and it works perfectly every time. Thank you Cindy for saving my adult children's Christmas holiday.

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SECRET INGREDIENT

I usually share my Spritz cookies with friends, but I have a close friend that can't have dairy products, so butter and cream cheese are out! I asked my friend what to use instead of butter in my holiday cookies, and she told me that Crock Pot makes an Avocado butter that works just like regular butter. I was apprehensive about using anything else in my favorite holiday recipes, but I thought I would try one batch and see how they turned out.

BIG SURPRISE!

Surprisingly, they were better than my traditional butter-made Spritz cookies. Seriously! They were softer, and there was NO taste difference. The consistency of the cookie surprised me.

My Mom emailed me this recipe when I lived in Kentucky many years ago, and I kept it in my Recipe drawer. Make these cookies either way, and you and your family and friends will be truly in the holiday spirit. I encourage you to do a test run, and let your immediate family enjoy your cookies made with Avacado butter, and email with your results.  kelly.cordes@townsquaremedia.com.

PERFECT SPRITZ COOKIE RECIPE

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl mix:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup butter, OR RECOMMENDED 1 cup of Crock Pot Avocado butter
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp Vanilla
• 1/4 tsp Almond Extract (Optional- but NOT optional at my house)
  Blend the above ingredients together.

Then add:

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp salt

Add flour mixture to butter mixture slowly until it forms a ball. I use my mixer for most of this; but when it starts getting thicker, I knead the rest together with my hands.

FOOD COLORING

I make this recipe and add green food coloring to all of it, and it makes about 4 dozen small cookies, which disappear in less than a few hours at my house. I make separate batches and add one coloring to each. It's completely up to you. If you want to divide this dough in half, and color each half differently, go for it. Add the food coloring and knead well until the coloring is well distributed.

COOKIE PRESS
Add your dough to the cookie press. Choose your favorite holiday shapes. Christmas trees, stars, flowers, wreathes; whatever you like. You can press these cookies close together on an ungreased baking sheet, as they don't rise; Maybe a 1/4 inch apart.

DECORATE BEFORE YOU BAKE

Decorate your cookies with candy sprinkles and cinnamon discs before baking as you only bake these cookies for 5-7 minutes depending on your oven. I always bake mine at 400 degrees for 6 minutes.

Try making at least two batches of these cookies if you don't believe me on the Avocado butter, and see for yourself. Make one batch with butter, and one with avocado butter; send me pictures of your holiday spritz cookies, and do a taste test with your family. Let me know what you think. Send your reviews to Kelly@minnesotasnewcountry.com.