Spritz cookies-from the German Spritzen, meaning "to squirt"- are formed into fanciful shapes when the dough is piped through a cookie press. One food editor still uses her aunt Carol's old metal spritzer to make these delicate cookie.

Ingredients

　　3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened

　　1 cup granulated sugar

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1 teaspoon vanilla

　　2 large egg yolks

　　3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

　　an egg wash made by beating 1 egg white lightly with 2 teaspoons water

　　green decorating sugar

　　candied cherries, sliced thin

　　Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the salt, the vanilla, and the egg yolks, and beat the mixture until it is smooth. Add the flour and beat the dough until it is just combined. Pack the dough into a cookie press fitted with the wreath disk and press cookies about 1 inch apart onto cool, ungreased baking sheets. Brush the cookies lightly with the egg wash, sprinkle them with the decorating sugar, and arrange the cherry slices decoratively on them. Bake the cookies in batches in the middle of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are pale golden. Transfer the cookies to racks and let them cool. (Do not let the cookies cool on the sheets.) The cookies may be made 2 months in advance and kept frozen in airtight containers.