Fruity Cookies

A packet of Jello is the secret weapon in these buttery press cookies. The gelatin powder gets creamed right into the butter and sugar, giving every cookie vivid color and a fruity punch without needing any fruit at all. Pick your flavor, pick your color.

These are spritz-style cookies shaped with a cookie press, not rolled or dropped. The dough needs to be smooth and pliable enough to push through cleanly, which is why thorough creaming is critical. Beat the butter, sugar, and Jello well after each addition until the mixture is fluffy and uniform.

The dough goes onto ungreased baking sheets. Grease will cause the pressed shapes to slide and lose definition during baking.

Bake until golden brown around the edges. These are crisp, snappy cookies meant to hold their pressed shape, not soft and chewy ones.

Kitchen Tips

• Use softened butter, not melted. Melted butter makes the dough too loose for a cookie press and the shapes won’t hold.
• If the dough feels too stiff to press, let it warm up for a few minutes at room temperature. Too cold and it won’t flow through the disc.
• Sift the flour with baking powder as directed. Lumps in the flour will clog the press.
• These keep well in a tin for up to two weeks, making them ideal for Christmas cookie boxes.

Variations

• Use different Jello flavors for a rainbow assortment: strawberry, lime, orange, and lemon look festive together.
• Dip cooled cookies halfway into melted white chocolate for a dressed-up holiday version.
• Press a small piece of candied cherry or sprinkle colored sugar on top before baking for extra decoration.