This Time Of Years Means Grandma's Press Cookies Are In The Oven
Posted
Jen Gibson-jgibson@timesuniononline.com
Of course thoughts of the holidays bring memories of family gatherings. And food. Oh the food!
Each year at Thanksgiving, the aroma of turkey and stuffing emanate from my grandma's oven as the perfume of gravy and mashed potatoes and radiate from the stovetop. At Christmas, it's ham and scalloped corn or potatoes in the oven and green beans on the stove.
Some of my most vivid holiday memories center around the table at my grandma's house, and more recently around the much-larger table at my mom's house.
I can remember waking early on Thanksgiving Day, craving the homemade fare that awaited at my grandma's house. The turkey and stuffing was (and still is!) my favorite meal of the year.
And of course Christmastime always brings my craving for home-baked cookies - especially my grandma's press cookies.
By far my favorite cookie of all time, my grandmother makes up the dough, puts it in this little contraption and presses it into the shape of delicious little stars or swirls. Colored sugar sprinkles finish off these holiday gems, giving them just the right amount of "sparkle" for the holidays.
Christmas just would not be Christmas without Grammy's press cookies.
Actually, it's a family tradition for my mom and I to "fight" over who gets the extras. Of course we always end up splitting whatever cookies are left in the container, but the playful banter about who deserves them more is always entertaining.
Grandma's Party Press Cookies
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Sift together flour and salt, set aside.
Cream 1/2 cup butter, then add sugar. Blend in egg, vanilla and almond extract.
Add half the dry ingredients and blend well. Add remaining dry ingredients and blend.
Press dough through cookie press onto ungreased baking sheet.
If desired, decorate with candy sprinkles, candied cherries or nuts of your choice.
