Christmas Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies

If you're looking for a truly festive cookie to WOW your holiday guests, I suggest investing in a Cookie Press.  Although using a cookie press does take more time, the results are a beautifully shaped cookie that you can decorate! Get creative with these cookies by tinting the batter and using different colored sprinkles and candies to really create beautiful, festive cookies! Just make sure you properly know how to use the cookie press, or you can really give the palm of your hand a beating - as I've learned with experience.

Christmas Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies

Makes 4-5 dozen

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 package (1/5 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup Truvia sugar/stevia blend (or 1/2 cup sugar)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/8 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t orange zest
• Food coloring, sprinkles, red hots, etc.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. In a large bowl, cream the shortening, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy
3. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and cinnamon
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until fully combined
6. Stir in the orange zest
7. If coloring the dough, separate the batter into 3 equal portions and add a few drops of green food coloring to 1 portion, a few drops of red to 1 portion, and leave the remaining dough as is
8. Using a cookie press, fitted with the disks of choice, press dough 1" apart onto an ungreased baking sheet
9. Decorate with desired candies or sprinkles
10. Bake for 7-12 minutes; depending on the size of the cookies, until the edges are very lightly brown
11. Allow to cool for several minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely
12. Store in airtight container