Holiday Wreaths With Cherries Spritz Cookies For Cookie Press Recipes

Steps:

• Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the almond and vanilla extracts and egg and mix until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the flour and salt and mix until just combined.
• Remove a quarter of the dough (about 1/2 cup) to a flour-dusted surface and reserve. Add the sprinkles to the dough left in the mixer and mix on low until just combined. Remove the dough to a flour-dusted surface and gently fold until it comes together.
• Add the reserved dough back to the mixer bowl and add enough green gel food coloring to color it a vibrant green like a wreath, about 6 drops. Mix on low until the dough is completely green. Remove to a flour-dusted surface and fold with your hands until it comes together.
• Tear off 2 Ping-Pong ball-size pieces of the white dough and add to the barrel of a cookie press; add 1 marble-size piece of the green dough. Repeat this pattern until the barrel is filled (you will not use all of the dough). Place a wreath disc onto the cookie press barrel according to the manufacturer's instructions. Press the cookies onto an ungreased baking sheet and set aside. Repeat 2 more times in the same pattern with the remaining dough.
• Bake 2 of the batches until the cookies are firm but not yet browning on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool the cookies for 1 minute on the baking sheets, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Bake the third batch and let cool. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, orange zest and extract. Gradually beat in flour. Divide dough in half; tint one portion green with food coloring., For each wreath, shape two 6-inch ropes using 2 teaspoons plain dough for one and 2 teaspoons green dough for the other. Place the two ropes side by side; press together lightly, then twist several times. Shape into a circle, pinching ends to seal. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough., Cut candied cherries into small pieces and place on wreaths to decorate as desired, pressing lightly to adhere. Bake cookies 6-8 minutes or until set and bottoms are light brown., Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cream butter and cream cheese. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Gradually beat in flour. , Using a cookie press fitted with a star piping tip, shape dough into 2-1/2-in. wreaths 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until set (do not brown), 8-10 minutes. Cool on wire racks., Decorate with green cherry pieces for leaves and Red Hots for berries. Use red decorating icing to form bows and adhere candy to wreaths.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, milk and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture just until combined. Stir in food coloring if desired. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. , Fill cookie press and form into desired shapes on ungreased baking sheets. Decorate with sprinkles and colored sugars. , Bake at 400° for 8 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Cool on wire racks.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Stir flour, salt and baking powder in medium bowl until well blended. Beat shortening, butter and powdered sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, almond extract and food color. Beat in flour mixture gradually until blended.
• Fit cookie press with Christmas tree or wreath plate according to manufacturer's instructions. Fill cookie press according to instructions. Press dough onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 6 to 7 minutes or until set, but not brown. Cool 1 minute on baking sheet. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.
• Place frosting in large heavy-duty resealable plastic bag. Microwave on HIGH 20 to 30 seconds to soften. Knead. Cut very small bottom corner off bag. Drizzle over cookies in a decorative pattern. Place candy bits from frosting in medium bowl. Hold cookie over bowl and sprinkle with candy bits. Let stand 15 minutes or until frosting is set.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, melted butter, almond extract and egg until dough forms. Stir in nonpareils.
• Place 1 3/4-in flower design disk in cookie press. Place dough in press; press dough through, and press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Place halved cherry in center. Repeat with remaining dough and cherries. (Keep dough covered with plastic wrap while not using to prevent drying out.)
• Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until edges are set but not brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature with waxed paper between layers.

Steps:

• Melt margarine in a large pan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir constantly until marshmallows melt and mixture is syrupy. Remove from heat. Stir in food coloring. Add corn flakes and stir until well coated.
• Drop mixture, by 1/4 cupful, onto cookie sheet. Using buttered fingers, quickly shape into individual wreaths. Dot with cinnamon candies

Steps:

• Place marshmallows and butter in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave, uncovered, on high until butter is melted and marshmallows are puffed, about 45 seconds. Tint with green food coloring. Stir in cornflakes. , On a waxed paper-lined baking sheet, divide mixture into 8 portions. With buttered hands, working quickly, shape each portion into a 3-in. wreath. Decorate immediately with M&M's, pressing to adhere. Let stand until set.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows, and cook until melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in the food coloring, vanilla, and cornflakes.
• Quickly drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto waxed paper, and form into a wreath shape with lightly greased fingers. Immediately decorate with red hot candies. Allow to cool to room temperature before removing from waxed paper, and storing in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pack dough into a cookie press fitted with wreath disk and press about 1 inch apart onto cool ungreased baking sheets. Brush cookies lightly with egg-white wash and sprinkle with decorating sugar. Arrange cherry slivers to form bow shapes.
• Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven until edges are pale golden, about 12 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes and transfer to racks to cool completely. (Cookies will stick to sheets if cooled too long on them.) Cookies may be stored between layers of wax paper in airtight containers up to 6 weeks frozen.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the salt, the vanilla, and the egg yolks, and beat the mixture until it is smooth. Add the flour and beat the dough until it is just combined. Pack the dough into a cookie press fitted with the wreath disk and press cookies about 1 inch apart onto cool, ungreased baking sheets. Brush the cookies lightly with the egg wash, sprinkle them with the decorating sugar, and arrange the cherry slices decoratively on them. Bake the cookies in batches in the middle of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are pale golden. Transfer the cookies to racks and let them cool. (Do not let the cookies cool on the sheets.) The cookies may be made 2 months in advance and kept frozen in airtight containers.