Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies

[andiesenji]

I used to make tons of these cookies when the kids were still at home.  Usually colored red and green and pressed through a star die and with a silver dragee applied to the center before baking.

Cream Cheese Spritz cookies
makes about 8 dozen

1 cup butter
6 ounces cream cheese
2/3 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
3 teaspoons orange extract        (You can use 2 tablespoons of very fine orange zest if you don't want to use extract.)
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Cream together butter and cheese until soft.
Add sugar gradually and mix until light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks and orange extract.
Stir in flour and salt.

Color all or part of dough if desired.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Force dough through a cookie press onto ungreased
cookie sheets.

Sprinkle with decorations.

Bake for about 10 minutes.

[cookie1]

These sound tasty.

[Very Happy Jan]

They do sound good Andie. I'm hoping my MIL passes her biscuit dough press to me soon so I can try these

[andiesenji]

I forgot to add that you can substitute  up to 1/4 cup of cocoa for 1/4 cup of the flour without making any other changes.
Dutch process cocoa works best but you can also use natural cocoa.

I have made them with this substitution and also with adding just a tablespoon  (15 ml - American tablespoon) of powdered espresso coffee.  You can use instant coffee but if it is the crystalline type you have to crush it to a fine powder. 
You don't really taste the coffee, it enhances the cocoa flavor.