How is it already December?! I feel like I say that every year at this time. November was a blink of an eye for me. Like it never even happened. I remember Trick-or-Treating, and now… it’s holiday baking, holiday party planning, gift shopping and wrapping, Christmas cards to order and mail out, etc etc etc! But, to be honest, I love it. Christmas is the best season so let’s do this! 🙂

These cookies are a family favorite. My aunt gave me her spritz machine last year and this is actually my first time making them. This machine is seriously from 1989 and in my opinion, not super easy to use. It works, but a pain in the butt. Hopefully, they make them better nowadays. Here is a picture of mine:

I used the tree shape for this post, but as you can see, you can make all sorts of different cookies or appetizer shapes. It’s like making cutout cookies, only shooting the dough out of a gun 😉

So, if you have a spritz maker or “Super Shooter,” let’s go make some cookies.

What you will need:

2 cookie sheets lined with parchment paper

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Dash of salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temp
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside. In a large bowl or bowl of your electric mixer, beat butter and vegetable shortening until creamy. Beat in sugar until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until combined.

Divide the dough into two rounds and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Have your cookie sheets ready. Take out one of the dough rounds and fill your shooter (that’s what I’m going to call it). Attach the appropriate disc and you’re ready to shoot away! Fill the cookie sheets with cookies and bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool on wire racks. Continue making cookies until all the cookie dough is used. Enjoy!

Tip: Before baking, sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Or, you can decorate however you like after the cookies bake. Have fun with it!