Smart Cookies

Year after year the week before Christmas brings a seemingly endless day of cookie baking. In years past more ambitious pursuits have yielded stacks of iced sugar cookies, a mountain of floury cookie cutters, a disastrously messy kitchen and two very tired girls. This year we attempted to avoid the inevitable oath of “I wish to never again see or eat another cookie.” Opting for the simpler method of using this vintage cookie press that has been in the kitchen drawer since I can remember, we made two batches in chocolate and vanilla. Small accents in simple white icing make these cookies complete.
Here is the timeworn recipe from the cookie press box – we used it to make the white dough.

BASIC RECIPE FOR COOKIES
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs, unbeaten
3 cups sifted flour
¼ teaspoon salt
Cream together the butter sugar and vanilla. Add eggs and beat well. Then add flour and salt and mix until blended. Press through Cookie Maker onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a hot oven (400° F) 10 to 12 minutes.