Cookie Press

[finnfann]

It isn't Christmas in my family without Spritz cookies. For the past several years, I have left the Spritz cookie making to my mother, as the cookie press I bought a few years ago was a piece of garbage. Unlike my mother's, which has a knob that you turn to release the dough, the one I bought had a handle that clicked down "releasing just the right amount of dough" -- except that it never released enough on one click, and 2 clicks was too much dough. Everything I am finding in my web searching seems to have this clicking handle thing, and it makes me nervous.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a good quality, not bank breaking cookie press? And does it make sense to spend a few extra dollars for one that includes cake decorating accessories? I'm not sure that a cookie press would give me the right kind of control that I want for that purpose, and I think I'm better off with just a pastry bag when I want to do some decorating.

Crate and Barrel has one: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?...01&SearchPage=1 --but am I paying for fancy packaging?

Williams Sonoma has one, which comes with decorating tips: http://ww1.williams-sonoma.com/cat/pip.cfm...70859&cmsrc=sch

Chef's Catalog has two: http://www.chefscatalog.com/catalog/search...=cookie%2bpress -- one of which is electric, which just seems wrong, and the other looks a bit like the one that gave me trouble a few years ago.

and Wilton makes one that is available at various places such as Linens 'n' Things: http://www.lnt.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1359156

Thanks for your help!

Karen

[Tweety69bird]

I bought a cookie press last year that finally works properly! I don't remember the name, but it's an Italian brand. If there's one thing I learned about cookie presses, it's this: buy metal ones, forget the plastic ones - they break on me usually on the first run. Good luck.

[ScorchedPalate]

You can often find the old Mirro metal ones at garage sales and thrift stores... that's where I got mine.

I also have a new Kuhn Rikon cookie press -- it's plastic with the racheting gizmo -- and I like it quite a lot. It takes the Mirro disks (can't live without my camel disk!) and it's a lot easier to make uniform cookies with than the Mirro kind. Unfortunately, whenever I bring them to work, everyone thinks they're from a bakery... maybe they're just a little -too- uniform.

Edited to add: I didn't think I'd use the decorating tips, either -- but it sure makes it easy to fill tarts, put whip-cream stars on pies, etc... and it's much easier to keep fillings from making a mess in the fridge. It won't replace my pastry bag, but it has made some tasks easier.

~A

Edited December 1, 2005 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[rooftop1000]

I miss my electric one, the plastic tube broke after many years. I replaced it with what looked like the same one, but it was Battery operated crap crap crap beyond crap. Sorry. I atually threw it away a few weeks after Christmas with dough still in it. The batteries couldn't push the dough out so I got annoyed and threw the whole thing in the fridge and moved on.

Have to climb up to the top of grandmas linen closet and get the old copper set out of storage.

Tracey

[lperry]

It takes the Mirro disks (can't live without my camel disk!)

←

You have a camel disk?! I want one! Mirro you say?

I have a Sawa cookie gun that I bought at WS years ago. Two clicks is perfect with chilled butter dough.

-Linda

[Steven Blaski]

Last year Cooks Illustrated tested six models; here's the results:

RECOMMENDED

Wilton Comfort Grip Cookie Press 2104-4011 (Trigger) $12.99

RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS

Williams-Sonoma Cookie Press (Trigger) $24

Wilton Cookie Max Cookie Press (Pump action) $14.99

Kuhn Rikon Clear Barrel Cookie Press and Decorating Set (Trigger) $15.99

NOT RECOMMENDED

Mirro Cookie Pastry Set (Twist action plunger) $21.95

Salton Electric Cookie Press (Electric) $24.99

Edited December 2, 2005 by Steven Blaski (log)

[LaurieA-B]

If I remember correctly, the Cook's Illustrated article about spritz recommended using a pastry bag rather than a cookie press (I think they found the bag to be the quickest and most efficient method). OK, just found the Nov/Dec 2004 article: The pastry bag "allows for fancier shapes . . . and the bag provides more control and freedom of motion. I prefer to use a pastry bag, but it's hard to argue with the convenience of a good cookie press." As mentioned above, the Wilton Comfort Grip is the one they recommend.

[finnfann]

Thanks for all the great input. I can't believe I forgot about the Cook's Illustrated ratings. I will find that issue and review. Of course, I'm not sure that I agree with their comments on the twist action plunger, as I said, that's what I'm used to. I know that my sister likes her Wilton. Any concerns about the plastic disks they make these days?

Thanks!

Karen

[ScorchedPalate]

It takes the Mirro disks (can't live without my camel disk!)

You have a camel disk?! I want one! Mirro you say?

Indeed, but it's vintage; I don't think the current set comes with it. You might get lucky at a thrift shop.

The camels make adorable christmas cookies if you make them with spice dough and decorate their necks with those flat, tiny colored sugar discs... makes them look like they might be transporting gold, frankincense and myrrh.

[DianeB]

I have the Kuhn Rikon too, and I love it.

Edited December 13, 2005 by DianeB (log)

[etalanian]

I use the Sawa, and I have a camel disc. Although I can't remember if it actually came with it or if I picked it up at a garage sale. I use the Sawa to deposit Christmas trees. But I use a pastry bag to pipe stars and other shapes. I prefer the pastry bag, also.

Eileen

[Kris]

I recommend the Kuhn Rikon Clear Barrel Cookie Press and Decorating Set (Trigger).

This is the one I bought last month and I used it to make lemon and chocolate spritz cookies in several shapes (daisies, christmas trees, wreaths and flower). It works like a charm and the trigger is easy to use. Another plus is that you can see when your dough is getting low and needs replenishment.

I loved making spritz cookies with it!

[digigirl]

I received that one from Crate & Barrel as a gift, and it is actually a Wilton cookie press. I can't remember now if it said it on the press itself or on the box somewhere, but it did say it. I don't know if that's the same model as the one reviewed by CI.

I've used it once and after a few false starts, it worked pretty well, once I kinda got the hang of it. I discovered that using parchment paper - which I normally always use - didn't work because it relies on sticking to the pan a little bit to pull the dough off the press. I was worried the cookies would then stick to the pan after baking, but they didn't.

The plates it came with are metal, not plastic. Overall, I'm pretty happy with it, but I'll qualify that by saying I'd never used one previously so I don't have anything to compare! lol.

Oh and one click did seem to dispense the right amount for one cookie (after a few empty clicks just after filling the barrel to get it going). Two clicks worked also, but it blurred the design quite a bit.

Valerie

[finnfann]

Thanks again for all the input. I ended up getting the Williams Sonoma model and plan to try it out this weekend -- I'll let you know how it goes. I will say this much, while there is no camel like in my mother's Mirro, it did come with some other fun shapes like an angel and a fish (not seasonal, but still fun).

[dianalane]

I have tried a few cookie presses after my son used my vintage Wear Ever cookie gun style one as a toy gun and lost parts. I never let him have toy guns and he always improvised. This is the aluminum style no longer made. It had a ratchet gun trigger and the cookie thickness dial

I just stopped making spritz for the last few years. It was not really worth the hassle with the other cookie presses. This summer I was thrilled to find a Wear Ever cookie gun at the Goodwill for 2.99! So there are vintage ones to be had for cheap. Just looked on Ebay and there are quite a few

[andiesenji]

Just for information, there are a lot of cookie presses on ebay, including the old Mirror aluminum and the dial a cookie, in addition to just about every kind ever made. Many are "Buy it now" so you don't have to wait for an auction to end.

I have several, some very old, some fairly new. My neighbor has a "Pampered Chef" which is all plastic but she likes it because it makes bigger cookies.

I have the old Hamilton Beach super shooter which is also mostly plastic and cordless. It works so-so but was great for the kids to use.

WearEver also made a super shooter but it was corded - also mostly plastic.

I have a Salton with metal discs, but don't recall if it is corded or cordless, haven't looked at it for a long time.

[andiesenji]

I found a camel!

Here.

[finnfann]

I tried out the Williams Sonoma press this weekend, and it's pretty good. It seems to work better with some shapes than others (or maybe it's just me). The trees are beautiful, as are the candy canes. The angels/butterflies (hard to tell which they are) dropped a bit less consistently, as did the snowmen. I may try to do another batch so I can try some more shapes. Also, my mother gave me an extra camel disk from one of her Mirro sets, and it's the same size as the ones for my new press, so I would like to see if that works. I'll keep you posted!

[JohnT]

Reviving an old thread - anybody with experience of the OXO cookie press? There is not much of a selection available in South Africa and, going through the few available, the OXO unit appears quite good. However, anybody with first hand experience? John.

[Gayle28607]

I know this isn't an active thread, but it has good info in it, so I decided not to start a new thread. I hope some of you will check in! I have the old Mirro "Cooky" press, but the screw-on metal lid has started to pop off. I might be able to get another old Mirro, but I noted in this thread that some of you use pastry bags for your spritz cookies. I am not a skilled pastry bag user, and I'm having a hard time imagining how to use a pastry bag with my metal shapes for cookies that I use with the now pretty much defunct Mirro press. 

 

So, those of you who use a pastry bag as a cookie press, can you explain how this works, or send me to a video or something? Meanwhile, I'll go back to searching the internet in the hopes of running across instructions. Somehow, I'm just not ready to let those yummy butter cookies in fun shapes disappear from the holiday baking agenda.

[blue_dolphin]

I hope you get some helpful info here, @Gayle28607!

I love making pressed cookies, too, and really wish I would have stolen my mom's old one.  It had a ton of shapes and she never used it.  I have a Marcato Atlas biscuit press and it works fine but I miss some of the fun shapes, like the little gingerbread man! 

I can imagine using a pastry bag to pipe out S-shaped cookies or little "kisses" but, like you, I can't imagine how it would work with all the shapes so I'll be curious to hear how people do it.

[Gayle28607]

@blue_dolphin, I continued a bit with a web search, and am still in the dark. As you say, a star shape or a wreath made by tucking the ends of a star "log" together all make sense with a pastry bag. Not that it would be easy for me, as this is a very stiff dough, and well-suited to the press. But I did see a number of people selling the metal plates to make the shapes, so those are still out there. I'm wondering if I need to spring for another old Mirro, and hope that the top will stay on!

[Toliver]

4 hours ago, Gayle28607 said:

 I'm wondering if I need to spring for another old Mirro, and hope that the top will stay on!

I was going to suggest duct tape to keep the lid on as you press the cookies out.

I did a Google search for your cookie press and got lots of hits from eBay. Getting another one might be your best solution (if the duct tape doesn't work ).

[andiesenji]

That was a problem with those old Mirros.  I had three teens using the ones I had and the tops wouldn't stay on

so I drilled holes in each side and use little 1/4 inch sheet metal screws to hold them on, starting with the smallest I could find. After a while the soft aluminum would enlarge so I would go to a larger diameter screw.

This worked just fine for the few year the kids wanted to do that. The things are cheap but they do the job.

I haven't made press cookies for a few years but I still have several presses.

The last time I used a cordless, battery operated one.

Edited November 26, 2020 by andiesenji (log)

[Gayle28607]

I think I might go in the direction of the duct tape. Duct tape and screws! Brilliant ideas. I also found some speculation elsewhere that holding back a bit of the flour might be enough to let the press stay in one piece. But @andiesenji and @Toliver, does this mean that you don’t think a pastry bag could work for all these traditional spritz cookie shapes? 
 

I can’t imagine it, but I am a pastry bag innocent. All I’ve ever done is pipe some icing.

Edited November 26, 2020 by Gayle28607 (log)