“It’s family tradition to make pressed Christmas cookies and thumbprint cookies every year. The only problem is both my mother and grandmother each had their own recipe so each year I was torn as to which recipe to use. Having experimented, I came up with a third generation recipe of my own! For my Mothers recipe see Mom’s Butter Cookies and for my version see Shortbread Spritz Cookies.”

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups sifted flour

I usually double this recipe.

DOUGH

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Use ungreased cookie sheet.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Add beaten egg yolk.
3. Add flour, knead until soft.

PRESSED COOKIES

1. Roll dough into balls. Place 1/4 candied cherry on top and press with fork or press through cookie press (this recipe is a little hard to use a cookie press as the brown sugar makes it a bit heavier but more tasty).
2. Bake 8 to 10 minutes.

THUMBPRINT COOKIES

1. Roll dough into walnut sized ball. Roll ball in finely chopped pecans, walnuts or coconut.
2. Place on cookie sheet, press hole in centre of cookie with finger. This will flatten cookie somewhat.
3. Add small amount jelly in centre hole (raspberry or black current is best).
4. Bake 12-15 minutes.

SHORTBREAD SQUARES

1. Flatten dough into base of 9 by 9 inch pan. Score cut lines and add small marks with fork for decoration if desired.
2. Bake 20-30 minutes.
3. Let cool. Cut into squares.

Yield: varies, depend on size of cookies