Mis-adventures of the cookie press

I was grocery shopping the other day (at a large grocery store that starts with "S" and ends with "store"), when I came across a cookie press thinking, "How hard could it be, you put the dough in, you press it out..." So, I put it in my cart and brought it home.

It came with alot of discs, and some icing tips...

Went online, found a recipe (because apparently the dough consistency has to be different).

Made the dough, put it in the press, and got started.

This cookie press was not good... or maybe I was using it wrong... but I'm going with it was not good.

I pressed out the dough, ALOT came out... I couldn't figure out how it was going to make 8 dozen cookies like the recipe called for. I mananged to get 8 out of the press, and baked them. They didn't look quite right... but they tasted good :)

Took the first 8 out of the oven, went to press a few more, and the press didn't work. I'm not sure what happened... but I wasn't happy. So, I put the kids to bed, came back and played around with the press abit longer. Ok. Definitely something wrong.

Day 2:

I drove to the craft store, aaannnndddd... bought a NEW cookie press. By Wilton. If it's Wilton it has to be decent, right?

Right :)

Made some more dough, put it into the press:

Let me tell you, these are MUCH prettier than the ones I made with the first press. You can actually tell what shape these ones are.

Into the oven... and 8 minutes later...

SUCCESS!!

Want to make some?

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups butter softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. In bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add  flour mixture to butter  mixture; beat until combined. Do not chill. Fill cookie press with dough and with desired disks, press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let cool for two minutes before moving to cooling rack.

You can find different varieties of the recipe here:
Wilton

Redemption - Oatmeal Shortbread Santas

It's been awhile since I've baked something (not including birthday cupcakes)

(which were pretty tasty btw)

and I found a tube of cookie dough in the fridge, so I made it.

It felt like cheating.

I needed to bake for real to redeem myself.

I saw this picture in a magazine, and figured it seemed like a good project...

They are rolled cookies. Usually I have NO luck with rolled cookies. They always stick, the dough is too soft, they misshape... but, I was up for the challenge.

The recipe is simple:

Here's what you need:

2/3 c. Butter or Margarine, softened

1/2 c. Packed brown sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 c.    All Purpose flour

3/4 c. Quick-cooking Oats

1/4 tsp. Baking Powder

I know what you're thinking, I forgot the egg. Nope. No egg. I checked the recipe 3 times. Definitely, no egg.

To decorate you need white frosting (because it's from a Betty Crocker magazine they say to use "Betty Crocker Easy Flow white decorating icing"), red sprinkles, red and blue (or whatever color you want) smarties/m&m's.

I couldn't find the said "easy flow icing", but I did find:

Wilton Decorating Icing, which let me tell you, was super handy. Since it is a Wilton product, you can attach Wilton decorating tips RIGHT TO THE TUBE! I love it.

Anyways...
To make the cookies:

In a large bowl beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until creamy. Stir in flour, oats, and baking powder. Gather dough into ball. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 mins.

Heat oven to 350°. On a well floured surface, roll dough 1/4" thick. Cut with 3" heart-shaped cookie cutter. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes, or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely before decorating.


The trick to get them not to stick is definitely the flour. LOTS and LOTS of flour. Flour on the surface, flour on the rolling pin, flour on your hands. Flour. Also, I rolled them out on a silicone baking sheet which also seemed to help, and made for a way easier clean up.

And then comes the fun part. Decorating.

When you're done, it should look something like this...