Gingerbread Spritz

Susie's Molasses Ginger "Gingerbread" Spritz

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened (not melted)

½ cup sugar

3 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons plus 1 tsp molasses

1 ½ Tablespoons vanilla

1 egg

3 ¾ cups flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

2 teaspoons ginger

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2. Cream the butter very well with an electric mixer on its highest setting, or vigorously by hand. Awesomely creamed butter is the basis of great spritz recipes that melt in your mouth.

3. Add the sugar and cream it very well. Next add honey and molasses and cream again until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg and cream again thoroughly.

4. Add the flour mixture a little at a time and mix until all ingredients are evenly combined, but do not over-mix as that can make spritz dough too stiff.

5. Place dough in cookie press and press onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 6 to 9 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. All ovens are different, so check early and often as spritz brown quickly!

6. Remove from sheet after 3 to 4 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

*Tips: 

You can always troubleshoot a spritz dough by adding water a tablespoon at a time to stiff dry dough or adding flour a tablespoon at a time to overly sticky or soft dough. Perfect spritz dough has a soft malleable texture that is not too sticky or too stiff.

I always suggest using Land O Lakes butter, as I know it will consistently cream well. Some generic butters result in a very stiff dough!