Holiday Cookie Recipe: Santa's Favorites

When it comes to the holidays, bakery-style cookies are a great treat to have on hand and serve when guests pop in to say hello. Next to a glass of milk, Santa won't be able to resist these little delights!

Yet, with the rush of the holidays, we all seem a little pressed for time. You'll find the recipe below is effortless when prepared with the use of a cookie press. I highly recommend Wilton's Cookie Pro Ultra II for professional results. You'll soon be saying good-bye bakery cookies and hello to homemade goodness.

Santa's Favorites

1   cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1   cup granulated sugar
2   eggs
1 1/2    tsp. pure anise extract
1/2    tsp. pure vanilla extract
3    cups all-purpose flour

Red and green decorating sugars (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar using an electric stand mixer. Add eggs, anise extract and vanilla extract. Mix ingredients until well blended.

2. Gradually add flour, stirring until just blended. (The dough will be soft). Fit the cookie press with desired disc design. Press the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing cookies about 1 inch apart. If desired, lightly sprinkle cookies with decorating sugars; gently shake the cookie sheet to remove excess sugars.

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are light golden brown. Remove from oven. Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes; transfer to cooling rack. Cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.

Makes about 60 to 72 cookies

Helpful hints: Rest the cookie sheet over the kitchen sink before sprinkling with
decorating sugars. It makes it easy to shake any excess sugars directly into the sink, rather than over the floor or work surface.

Avoid compacting flour and unknowingly adding too much to a recipe. When measuring flour, make certain to spoon the flour from the container into the measuring cup.