Instructions: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, flour, salt, and vanilla. Mix well. Fill cookie press with dough and shape fancy cookies on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush the top of each cookie with egg whites beaten slightly with the water. Decorate with chopped nuts, colored sugar or candies; or leave plain. Bake in hot oven (400F) until cookies are golden brown on top and done throughout; break one open to see. Baking time will depend on cookie-press blade you use. Thin cookies take 5 to 6 minutes; tick ones, 8 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly, then remove from sheet with spatula or pancake turner. When cool, store airtight.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.