Christmas Traditions: Spritz Cookie Recipe

'Tis the season to eat cookies.... fa la la la la la la la la!

Most of you know that we try to live a healthy and balanced lifestyle. This is actually the case throughout the holidays as well. However, there are some things that are worth the extra calories for me. One of those things are these butter spritz cookies.

These cookies hold a special place in my heart. They are my Great-Grandma Rica's recipe. She would make a special tin just for me every Christmas for as long as I can remember. She was one of the most giving, kind, and magical people I have ever had the chance to know. Plus she could bake and cook like nobody’s business!

I'm excited that I have this recipe to share with my family, friends, and now you!

I will definitely say these do NOT fall in the category of healthy recipes, they are definitely a treat. Could I have tried to find a way to make them a bit healthier? Sure. But I'm not messing with GG's recipe.

So if you're ready to be merry and enjoy these melt-in-your-mouth cookies, read on!

Ingredients

• 1 lb butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure almond extract
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• 4.5 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325*F 
• In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar 
• Add in egg and extracts until combined 
• In a separate bowl mix together the flour and baking powder to combine 
• Slowly add in flour 1 cup at a time (dough will be heavy, I use our stand mixer to ensure that everything is mixed properly) 
• Place desired disc in your cookie press* (we love the christmas trees, snowflakes, and wreaths) 
• Place dough into the cookie press and press them onto an ungreased cookie sheet
• Decorate with your favorite color of sugar sprinkles
• Place into the oven for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown (with our oven we usually bake for 14 minutes) 

This recipe will make 6+ cookie sheet pans full of cookies. We love sharing them with our family members, for holiday parties at school, or as gifts for colleagues. They also freeze well! So feel free to make a big batch for you and your family and take them out of the freezer when you want to enjoy them. They're yummy with milk, hot chocolate, or coffee! They're a favorite of santa's too! ;)

*The cookie press I've linked is the one that Nate got me for Christmas a few years ago. It's held up well and I love that the steel discs come in a carrying case. You do NOT need a cookie press to make this recipe. You can roll the dough into small balls and press them down with a fork (making a criss cross pattern), and they will be just as delicious!

Enjoy! I wish you peace and love this holiday season!

Barre Blend

Barre Blend is a new low-impact, high-intensity, and high-energy workout program from our very own barre expert, professional dancer, and Three Week Yoga Retreat co-creator, Elise Joan.

Barre Blend has been created as the perfect combination of ballet barre, Pilates, and cardio interval training to help you effectively burn fat and create a lean, toned physique.

The workouts are 30-40 minutes a day, 5 days a week for 6o days. Elise leads you through the workouts in real time, which means a unique workout every single day. It is like going to a new Barre Class in the comfort of your own home. You'll also have a super-supportive virtual community to plug into.

What's included in Barre Blend?

• 2 Prep Workouts: 20 minute Classic Full Body Blend and 20 minute Cardio Blend will introduce you to the program so you can get started right away!
• 40 Unique Workouts: The program is broken down into 4 phases with 5 workouts each week. Elise changes up the moves and increases the level of difficulty every 2 weeks so you keep seeing results. 
• 5 bonus "10-min Enhancement" Workouts: Target specific parts of your body for extra toning--like core, upper body, lower body, and booty--by adding a 10-min enhancement at the end of any workout. (There's also a 10-min cardio enhancement workout.) 
• 3 Recovery Workouts: Elise created 10 and 15-min Yoga Blend workouts anda  Roll & Replenish workout to help you stretch out, release tension, and increase mobility. 
• "I AM" Daily Motivation Cards: To promote a positive mindset and sense of gratitude, Elise chooses a Daily Motivation Card before every workout. Choose your own card daily to receive a powerful affirmation that will set you up for your best day and keep you motivated throughout the program. 
• "Get Started with Barre Blend" video: Learn what to expect over the 60 days of the program. From the steps to get you started, overview of the workouts, a brief introduction to the nutrition plan, and much more 
• 4 "Barre Basics" Videos: Elise wants you to be able to jump right in. That's why she filmed these 4 introductory videos--to demonstrate the moves and terminology you'll see throughout the program. 
• Barre Blend Introduction to Nutrition video: Elise walks you through the nutritional tools and solution recommended with this program to help you achieve your best results.
• Beachbody Guide to Nutrition: Nutrition is key to getting your best results, and this guide helps you upgrade your eating habits with delicious recipes and useful tips to optimize your performance and fuel your body. 
• Getting Started Guide + Workout Calendar: A quick overview of Barre Blend, so you know what to expect and which workouts to do each day. 

Pricing

 

Limited Time Offer--$20 off Challenge and Completion packs in the month of December

Challenge pack options will be available for sale beginning December 16th for customers, December 3rd for coaches. Those who are signed up as a coach--either to work the business or simply for the discount--have access to an exclusive coach-only group that will be run by Elise Joan herself. Please reach out to me if you want to be a part of this!

Barre Blend Transformations

  

Here are some real-life transformations of those who participated in the test group. Remember, results ALWAYS come from consistency, proper nutrition, and hard work.

Ready to Join Us?!
Think this program is for you? We would love to include you in our community. I will be hosting a challenge group for those wishing to complete Barre Blend from start to finish early in the new year! Please fill out this application so that I can learn more about you and what interests you in this program. I will be in touch soon!