Christmas Butter Spritz Cookie

During the hustle and bustle of the holidays you can simplify your holiday baking workload by hosting a cookie swap.  Invite a group of friends, and have each person make enough of one kind of cookie to share.  At the party, sample the treats, then trade and package them in appealing assortments. Everyone leaves with finished gifts and plenty of new recipes.  And what a wonderful way to share healthy raw cookies that will warm the heart and fill the tummy.   Spritz cookies are a great cookie to make for this occasion.  You’ve probably consumed spritz cookies before even if you didn’t know that’s what they were called.  Don’t confuse them with sugar cookies or cut-outs.  They are dense, buttery, crunchy little biscuits (when baked) but this raw version of spritz cookie is more on the chewy side.

~ How to host a Cookie Exchange ~

Step 1 ~ Send out invitations 3-4 weeks in advance.  Seven to ten people are ideal.  Instruct your guests to bring a cookie to share, recipe cards, and pretty wrapping supplies for packaging up cookies to take home.

Step 2 ~ Choose cookies to bring.  Ask each person to bring a dozen cookies for each person attending, plus an extra dozen for sampling.  This will assure that each person will go home with several dozen cookies that they can share and give as gifts.   You can assign a particular cookie to the guests or just allow them to bring their “family favorite”…  there tends to be much more joy in that plus you usually learn some neat stories.

Step 3 ~ Create a display. Have folding tent cards ready along with extra pens.  That way each guest can write down what the name of their cookie is.  It might be a good idea to have them make a special notes on the card, such as; gluten-free, contains nuts, etc.   Create a display table with plates at different heights to further make the arrangement oven more enticing.   I will usually place a table cloth on the table, stagger different sized boxes on top and then drape a second table cloth over them.

Step 4 ~ Create a packaging station.  Each guest that brings wrapping paper, boxes, tins, ribbon, plastic wrap, gift tags, etc.  It’s a good idea to provide some extra white boxes, tape and ribbon for those who may forget or not be able to bring much.

Step 5 ~ Enjoy the feast!  Have each guest place a plate  of cookies on the table (this is that extra dozen I was talking about). Place the stack of recipes near each cookie.  Once the table is set, let the party begin!  Sample cookies, sip tea, laugh and cherish the time that you have with your loved ones.  When it’s time to trade, set out the remaining cookies.  Have each person browse the table and take their share of cookies and recipes cards.  Take all their goodies to the packaging table and have them wrap up their cookies.  Each person will leave with joy in their heart, a fully belly and warm memories!

 Now it’s time to get busy in making your raw Christmas Butter Spritz Cookie.  One quick thing before I let you go… I used butter flavoring in this recipe and if you are against using that you can substitute macadamia nuts for the cashews, since they can have a slight undertone of a buttery flavor, but it won’t be as strong.  Enjoy and many blessings.

Ingredients: yields 32 cookies (using a cookie press)

• 1 cup almond meal/flour
• 1 cup raw cashew meal/flour
• 1/3 cup coconut flakes, shredded
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 cup raw vanilla infused agave nectar
• 1/2  vanilla bean, seeds only
• 1/2 tsp butter flavor or 2 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. If you make your own almond meal, be sure to remove the skins from the almonds if you want your cookie to be creamy white color.
2. In a food processor, fitted with the “S” blade, break down the almonds, cashews, and coconut into a flour – individually.
3. Now combine the flours, coconut, salt, agave, vanilla bean seeds and extracts.  Process until it starts sticking together and forms a ball.
4. Place the dough in the cookie press tube and follow the manufactures instructions.  It’s very easy.
5. Dry at 115 degrees for approximately 8-10 hours. Or until desired dryness is reached.  This will keep up to 2 weeks in a sealed container.

Suggested Sous Chef Substitutions:

 

 

Posted on Friday, December 7th, 2012 at 9:55 pm. Filed under: Cookies / Nuggets / Balls, Holidays & Parties Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Soy Free, sugar-free, Vegan RSS 2.0 feed.