Bake an edible bouquet for someone special! Cookie Press Butter Cookies are flower shaped and springtime pretty. These melt-in-your-mouth morsels are just right for Mother’s Day or any time you want to share some baked love.
When I first met my husband, decades ago, he knew how to cook. Past tense. It is a skill he unfortunately abandoned the moment we got married. However, when he was a young graduate student, on a tight budget and with limited free time, he would cook up amazing stews and soups on the weekends, to last him all week. It was impressive. He also baked “Push Cookies” using a spritz cookie recipe and cookie press handed down from his paternal grandmother. The old metal press has a knob at the top. When the knob is pressed, it pushes dough out of the cylinder, creating what was known in my husband’s family as, “Push Cookies”. The recipe was basic, but it was made delicious when flavored with memories.
Years later, I was at a Pampered Chef party where an updated (plastic) version of a cookie press was featured. Not fully grasping the nostalgic importance to my husband of the old metal press, I thought a brand new one would be a great gift. Not so. For the last 20 years, the Pampered Chef cookie press has sat unused at the back of a kitchen cabinet. The serendipitous discovery of this Cookie Press Butter Cookie recipe, while I was doing some online research, had me unburying the newer cookie press (now practically an antique, as well) to give it a try.
What intrigued me about this recipe, was that it uses a cake mix as a short cut. The cake mix not only simplifies the preparation, but lends flavor and longer shelf life to the cookies. The longer shelf life makes them awesome for care packages. Cookie Press Butter Cookies keep their melt-in-your-mouth texture for up to 2 weeks and the flavor is even better with time. I did discover that there is a bit of a learning curve to using a cookie press, but luckily this recipe makes a ton of cookies, allowing for lots of practice. I got better at creating a more uniform size and shape as I quickly pressed out dozens of butter cookie flowers.
Though Cookie Press Butter Cookies are pretty on their own, I can never resist adding a bit of sparkle or sprinkle. I made these cookies to include in my next military care package (May Flowers theme). Before I could pack them up, a timely email taught me an important rule that had me giving away the first batch of cookies and re-baking for my soldier. Anything with glitter is a scary no-no for care packages to combat zones. Glitter sticks to everything, and can cause a reflective safety risk. I had used edible glitter on the orange cookies (in the photos) without thinking. It wasn’t until after I saw the glitter on my fingers, while taste testing, that I realized my mistake. If you are baking for military care packages, go to town with sprinkles and sugars, but forget the glitter, please!
Cookie Press Butter Cookies can be made in any color and make a delicious floral gift for Mother’s Day or care packages. If you have a cookie press that you only use for holiday baking (or have never used) dig it out for some springtime “Push Cookies”.
Ingredients
- 2 cups 4 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 box white cake mix 15.25oz
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- Food coloring gel
- Optional: sprinkles or decorating sugar ***
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Insert desired disc into cookie press.
- Slice 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter into chunks. Place in a medium size microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute or until just melted. Slice the remaining 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter into the melted butter. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, until softened, and stir to a creamy, pourable consistency.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cake mix and flour.
- Add the butter to the flour mixture. Mix to combine completely into a smooth dough.
- For three colors of cookies, divide the dough into three pieces and place in separate bowls. Add 1-3 drops of food coloring gel onto each piece of dough. Knead the coloring into the dough.
- Fill the cookie press with one color of dough and press cookies onto the prepared baking sheets about 1” apart.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges just begin to turn golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before placing on wire racks to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
- ***NOTE: For military care packages, NO edible glitter can be used to decorate these cookies.
Notes
Baking for Mother’s Day, for a mom close by or far away? Click on the photos for these great recipes!
Mother of 3
Those are so beautiful. I have a cookie press but I have never used it. You’re inspiring me to give it a try. Pinned.
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome
I have one of those presses and I love those cookies. It never occurred to me they weren’t just for Christmas!! Great idea! And thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party!
Miz Helen
Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
The Monday Box
Thank you, Miz Helen!
Catherine
These are so cute! I never really understood how to use a cookie press but I’m intrigued now!
Cristina
These look so cute! And I love how easy is the recipe!
The Monday Box
Thanks, Cristina!
April J Harris
That is so cool you have an antique cookie press, Wendy! I’ve recently bought a cookie press in the hopes of making my Aunt Dorothy’s recipe that I remember from when I was a kid – but I may give this recipe a try too as it’s so straight-forward! Your cookies look beautiful! Scheduling to pin and share on the H&S Facebook page. Thank you so much for being a part of Hearth and Soul. Oh, and my hubby used to do most of the cooking when we first met…but for some reason he rarely cooks now either 😉
Kijankowo
Cute 🙂
Miz Helen
I love the colors for your Mothers Day Cookies! Thanks so much for sharing them with us at Full Plate Thursday and come back soon!
Miz Helen
The Monday Box
Thanks, Miz Helen! Adding a bit of color turned cookie press cookies from Christmas treats to all-year deliciousness. 🙂
Frugal Hausfrau
I feel just like your husband, btw, but the cookies are darling! Looks delish and thanks for sharing on Throwback Thursday!
Mollie
The Monday Box
Thanks, Mollie! My husband did enjoy eating these! 🙂 Thanks for hosting Throwback Thursday!
Lokness @ The Missing Lokness
These are FUN! I always want to try making cookies with a press. These colorful cookies are sure great for Spring and Mother’s Day. Have a Happy and Sweet Mother’s Day!
The Monday Box
Thank you, Lokness! This was my first attempt at using a cookie press, and though the cookies aren’t perfect, I was happy with the results. Give it a try! I hope you have a lovely weekend!
Monica
The cookie press totally intimidates me. I have thought about buying one but never quite get there. These are very sweet and lovely for Mother’s Day. The longer shelf life from using cake mix is really interesting and glad you discovered that! Have a great Mother’s Day weekend!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
I don’t use buy cookie press often enough – I am inspired! This is a beautiful spring bouquet – such a sweet treat! Have a wonderful mother’s day Wendy 🙂
Reeni
My Mom loves her cookie press too! She has a really old one from when I was a kid – she bought a new one and it didn’t work half as well as that one. The cookies are so colorful and pretty! Perfect for spring!
Ashley
I was always so fascinated by my mom’s cookie press growing up! I thought it was just the coolest thing! I need to see if she still has it ….
These are so so pretty Wendy! I love all the different colors! So perfect for spring!
Liz @ Project Pastry Love
This post put a smile on my face. These cookies are so lovely and Sprink-like. I need to get my cookie press out. You know, I’ve only used it once. I found it to be hard to figure out, so I gave up. I need to get back in the cookie press game. Also, it would have never occurred to me that glitter is no no in combat zones. Great tip! My son’s half brother will be going into the military this fall, and I intend to start sending him and his fellow soldiers yummy care packages too. Thanks for inspiring me!