A vintage cookie press guide

 

My love for pressed cookies began in childhood and was sparked by my attendance at the Christmas fair put on annually by our Methodist church. As I recall, the baked goods and candy table at the Christmas fair was usually presided over by a tiny, pink-cheeked, white-haired lady named Mrs. Hudson.  The candies, cookies, breads, and other goodies were always displayed so enticingly!  

I remember in particular little spritz cookies in the shape of wreaths.  I think these were probably contributed by a Swedish woman who attended the church.  The little wreaths were decorated with green sugar and tiny bits of candied cherries, and always looked so festive to me.  (They were not quite as fancy as the Spritz Holly Wreaths in the Taste of Home photo at top.)  I was determined that when I grew up, I would learn to make these myself.  

And I did!  To the best of my recollection, my mother never owned a cookie press.  I acquired mine after I was married, possibly as a gift from my mother.You can find my recipe here: Christmas Wreath Spritz Cookies.  It's just an adaptation of the spritz cookie recipe from the big, red Betty Crocker Cook Book.  The disappointing thing is that these delicate little wreaths break very easily, so I tend to use other shapes more often.

I've also experimented with other spritz recipes over the years.   I recall trying lemon, gingerbread, browned butter, and pepparkakor flavors, as well as spritz cookie sandwiches filled with chocolate frosting.

In the process I've gone through at least four cookie presses.  You can read about how God even provided a "loaner" press  in a very surprising way one Christmas -- here: A Christmas mini-miracle.

We recently found a wonderful vintage Sawa cookie press (sturdy metal, made in Sweden) at our local thrift store for only $4.  So far, it seems to be the best of the lot.  Notice that the cookie discs have a sort of rim or flange around the edge.  This seems to make quite a difference in how well the cookie shapes leave the press. 

 
In the process of researching it, I found the following Vintage Cookie Press Guide and thought that others  might find it interesting and informative, too.  I've owned, or tried, nearly every press that is mentioned in the guide.  The Sawa may just be the best of the best!