Christmas Countdown!

A holiday classic found in nearly every cookie box, these almond-flavored treats are buttery, crisp and all too easy to eat by the handful (fear not, this recipe makes a lot). Spritz cookies also keep well, for up to two weeks stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If you don’t have a spritz gun, you can use a pastry bag to form them. Or, for more rustic versions, skip the pressing altogether. Chill the dough for an hour, then roll out 1-inch balls, placing them 1 ½ inches apart on the baking sheets, then use a fork to flatten them. A sprinkle of colored sugar makes everything pretty.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup/225 grams unsalted butter, preferably cultured, softened
• ¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ¾ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ teaspoon fine sea or table salt
• 2 cups/250 grams all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup/25 grams almond flour or meal
•  Decorative sugar or festive sprinkles, for finishing

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric mixer and a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add the egg and almond extract, and mix until well-combined and smooth.
2. With speed still on low, gradually add both flours and the salt until just incorporated.
3. Fill a cookie press with dough, or use a piping bag fitted with a decorative piping tip with a large opening (about 1/2-inch). Press or pipe the dough onto ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between cookies. Sprinkle cookies with decorative sugar or sprinkles.
4. Bake until firm to the touch and golden brown at edges, 12 to 17 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool slightly, then use a spatula to remove cookies from the baking sheets when they’re still warm (which is easier to do than when they’ve cooled completely).

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