Abilene Crave

Holiday Cookies 101

From Family Features

Easy Baking with a Cookie Press

ome-baked goodness is the most economical and heartfelt choice for gifts and entertaining, but rolling out dough and cutting decorative cookies can be time consuming and messy. With a cookie press, bakers can achieve gift-worthy results quickly and easily, leaving more time for the rest of the holiday to-do list.

The Pampered Chef recently introduced a new cookie press with a rotating, easy-to-use press that controls the amount of dispensed dough with a twist motion.  With nine disks in assorted shapes, the press can be used to make cookies for occasions throughout the year. In addition, the press includes a potato ricing disk, exclusive to The Pampered Chef. After the cookies are baked, this disk can be used to create creamy mashed potatoes for the holiday meal.  

Tips for Santa-worthy cookies:

  • For best results, it's important to mix ingredients in the correct order listed in recipe directions. Changing order of ingredients can result in dough that will not work well with the press.
  • Do not chill dough prior to using a cookie press.
  • Add nonpareils, colored sugars or sprinkles to pressed cookies prior to baking.
  • If cookie dough has an uneven surface where it has separated from the disk, simply pat top surface of dough lightly before baking.
  • Pressed cookies will not release onto a warm cookie sheet. So while cookies are baking, press cookies onto parchment paper that has been cut to fit sheet. Simply slide parchment onto cookie sheets and bake.