Flat Cookies (aka butter press cookies

from the Touch Family Recipes

		     Flat (butter press) cookies
			      Joe Touch

Every Christmas, my family makes several kinds of cookies to give to
our friends and family. The cookies are set on a plate, sprinkled with
a dose of holiday-colored Hershey Kisses, and wrapped in clear plastic
wrap, laid flat under the plate and gathered up by a bow on top.
Curly-ribbon is used for the knot and bow.

This kind of cookie is one of the easiest to make, and is made all
year 'round. My grandmother, whom we call 'Nonni,' says I put too many
jimmies (sprinkles, for you non-Philadelphians). She says I put so
many you can't see the cookies, or that (the chocolate ones) they look
like ants all over the place. I reminded her that the cookie is merely
a substrate for the jimmies, however. I also like sprinkled colored
sugar, though my mother hates how it tastes 'gritty'.

These are a version of the traditional Betty Crocker butter press cookies,
the kind you squirt out of a cookie press. One kind of press element 
looks like a comb:

	/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
        |______________________|

This one isn't used as a 'press' - you squirt out a ribbon of cookie,
and lay it ridges-up on the sheet, about 3" long. The ridges give
texture to the top of the cookie, and help hold the jimmies :-)

I hope you like them!

Ingredients:

(a double-batch *barely* fits in a Kitchen-Aid mixer bowl; I prefer to
make single batches, which make about 4 cookie sheets, and nearly
fills a 10x10x4" tupperware box)


	3/4 cup margarine	(1.5 sticks; can use 1/2 butter, 1/2
				margarine)

	1 cup sugar

	1/2 teaspoon salt

	1/2 teaspoon vanilla
	
	2 tablespoons rum	(helps cut the vanilla so it isn't
				so overpowering)

	3 eggs

	1 1/2 teaspoons
	baking powder

	3 1/4 cups flour	(takes about another 1/2-1 cup)

	jimmies (sprinkles)

	oil (small amount)	(anything without strong flavor works,
	(corn, etc. NOT olive)	spray oil works very well)


Beat margarine until creamy (overbeat!). Add sugar, beat until white
(overbeat again!). Add salt. Add eggs one at a time while beating. Mix
baking powder and flour in a separate bowl, add mixture slowly.

Let dough rest 10 minutes before adding additional flour; wait 5
minutes between 1/2 cups, to allow dough to stiffen. Dough should be
like thick mashed potatoes (thinner for press shapes, thicker for flat
cookies - it's up to you, and only a matter of easy handling)

Wet hand, inside of cookie press with oil. Press out cookies (no grease
on no-stick pans, grease on regular pans). Add jimmies before cooking.

Bake at 375 on raised rack (1/4 from top of oven!), for 15 minutes
or so until edges are just getting golden. Do not overcook!

Let cool slightly before removing from non-stick cookie sheets;
remove while hot for regular sheets.

Makes 8 dozen.


These can be frozen - pack so the jimmies aren't crushed.