The holidays call practically beg to be celebrated with all sorts of rich buttery morsels and the fresh taste of lemon and lime zest creates a natural counterbalance to the satisfying tenderness of these pressed cookies. Although operating the press can take some time to master, the fanciful shapes and colors that are possible will delight most all cookie connoisseurs.

 In the Boston area, sprinkles (invented at a candy-making company in Brooklyn, New York) are called “jimmies” after James Bartholomew, the man to first operate the machine that produced the tiny candies.

1 cup butter

4 oz. cream cheese

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

Zest of 1 lemon and 1 lime

1 Tablespoon lemon juice (about half a lemon)

2½ cups all-purpose nonbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Food coloring (optional)

Colored sugar, jimmies or other cookie decorations

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese together until well blended.

Add sugar and cream the mixture thoroughly.

Using a microplane or other fine grater, zest the lemon and the lime. Add the zests, the lemon juice and the egg to the butter mixture and blend well.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture and mix completely. You may add food coloring at this time if you want.

Chill the dough for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Heat the oven to 375º. Using a cookie press with the shaping plate of your choice, force the dough onto an ungreased baking sheet. If you don’t have a cookie press, roll teaspoonfuls of dough into balls with your hands. Dip the rolled ball cookies into colored sugar, jimmies or other decorations if you like, just before baking. Decorations can either be placed or sprinkled on the pressed cookies since they won’t stand up to being handled.

Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until just slightly browned. Cool on a rack. Makes about 4 to 5 dozen cookies.

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