Cream Cheese Spritz with Coconut and Lime

Hey everyone! I'm still on a mission to encourage folks to use their spritz cookie press year round! I saved this recipe from bloggy buddy Kitty at the holidays. She adds orange zest, I used lime zest, why? Say it with me now... "cause that's what I had on hand". Right. Added coconut extract because it's a flavor I associate with Easter, and used the spring colored decorations.

This is a beautiful dough for the press! I think the best way to describe the perfect dough is, it should feel like fresh soft Play Dough. I didn't see a baking temp so made one batch at 375 for about 10-11 minutes and one at 400 for about 8 minutes. 375 got brown around the edges, I would use 400 next time-and I will be making this dough again! *Kitty let me know she uses 350 for 10 minutes-thanks!

Cream Cheese Spritz with Citrus Zest
1 C shortening or butter, softened-I used shortening
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 C sugar
1 tsp orange zest-I just grated 2 small limes into it
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla-I used 1/2 tsp each vanilla and coconut extract
2 1/2 C A/P flour, sifted
1/2 tsp salt-I didn't use
1/4 tsp cinnamon-I didn't use

1. Cream shortening (or butter), cream cheese, sugar and zest well. If using food coloring gel, add it now. I like to add the zest now, mixing it with the sugar helps give off the oils making the dough more flavorful.
2. Mix in egg and extract.
3. Mix in flour and spices (if using).
4. Fill press, form cookies on ungreased, not non-stick cookie sheet and decorate as desired.
5. Bake at 400 for approx 8 minutes-or till done. *Please note, everyone's oven is different and cookies can be fussy. I highly recommend taking the extra 15 minutes and making 3-4 "test" cookies. It will  help determine how long they need to bake and save you from wasting a whole tray. Do I sound like I've done that once or twice???

This is the press I'm currently using, I got it at Marshalls/HomeGoods/TJ Maxx.

Have a happy day:@)

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