Long before she opened Made. by Lia craft bakery in Florissant, Lia Holter was determined to help her mother and grandmother in the kitchen as a child. Around the holidays, that meant assisting with her grandmother’s tasty press cookies and decorating them to seasonal perfection. Even today, the tradition continues in Holter's family kitchen.
“The kids love decorating them,” Holter says. “Sprinkles, M&Ms, pecans, cherries... They can decorate them in any way they want. We always press out a bunch of trays and then just put the cookies in front of the kids and let them do whatever they want with them. They always have a blast."
Holter shared several go-to holiday recipes that the whole family can create together.
Grandma Petti's Press Cookies
Recipe adapted by Lia Holter (Sue Petti's great granddaughter), Owner of Made. by Lia
- 1 cup shortening
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 eggs (room temperature)
- 4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 Tbsp almond extract (if desired)
DIRECTIONS
- Cream together shortening, butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla one at a time. Gradually add in flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until everything is combined. If dough seems too sticky, add in a little more flour.
- Place into a cookie press with a holiday design and press out cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Top with sprinkles, chocolate chips, maraschino cherries, pecans, or any topping you would like!
- Bake at 350 degrees until slightly golden, approximately 7–9 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cooled, place cookies into cookie tins, containers or display on a festive tray.
- Can be made ahead of time and frozen for several weeks. Perfect cookie to make with the whole family. Drop off to a friend or neighbor, or enjoy with your morning coffee!
- If you do not have a cookie press, you can roll into 1" balls, make a well in the center using your thumb and add a spoonful of raspberry or apricot jam in the center. Dust with powdered sugar after baking.
Photography courtesy Lia Holter
St. Louie Cookies (a.k.a. Gooey Butter Cookies)
Recipe by Lia Holter, Owner of Made. by Lia
Yields 24 cookies
- 4 oz. butter, softened
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 box white cake mix or chocolate, red velvet, yellow, or cake mix of your choice
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 egg
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with handheld mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Add in vanilla and egg, mix until smooth and fluffy. Add in cake mix and mix until combined. Batter will be somewhat sticky.
- With an ice cream scoop or tablespoon form batter into 1-inch balls in your hand. Roll cookie dough balls in powdered sugar and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes until cookies are set and bottoms are lightly golden. Remove from cookie sheets and place cookies on a cooling wrack. Once cool, dip the top of cookie into powdered sugar.
- Can be made ahead and frozen for several weeks. Place into tins, jars or air tight containers, the perfect cookie for the holidays!
