Instructions: In a bowl, with a mixer on high speed, beat butter and granulated sugar until creamy. Add egg; beat until well blended. Stir in flour, then beat until well blended.

Scrape dough into a cookie press fitted with a rosette or star-shaped tip (1/2 inch across widest dimension). Press dough through tip in straight lines 6 to 8 inches long onto 12- by 15-inch baking sheets (youll need two), spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle spritz straws with coarse sugar.

Bake in a 350 degree regular or 325 degree convection oven until straws are golden brown, 12 to 19 minutes, switching pan positions halfway through baking. With a wide spatula, transfer straws to racks to cool. Serve warm or cool.

This recipe yields 20 to 24 straws.

Blue Cheese Spritz Straws: Follow recipe for Golden Spritz Straws (preceding), but reduce butter to 1/3 cup, replace granulated sugar with 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (2 1/2 oz), and replace coarse sugar with 2 tablespoons finely chopped almonds.

Gingersnap Spritz Straws: Follow recipe for Golden Spritz Straws (preceding), but substitute 1 large egg yolk and 3 tablespoons light molasses for the egg, and add 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice to the flour. Bake until edges turn slightly darker.

Comments: If making straws up to 3 days ahead, cool and store airtight at room temperature; freeze to store longer.

Yield: 20 to 24 straws

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