Grandma's Famous Christmas Cookies

Every year on a weekend in December, our family and friends gather at my parent's house to make my grandma's delicious Christmas cookies! It is one of my favorite days of the whole year; everyone in one place, talking, reminiscing, and of course, sneaking "the bad ones."

So today, we are going to share this famous, family "secret." And to be honest, it's a very simple, yet genius addition to the traditional cookie, Betty Crocker's Spritz (I'll give you a hint, it's chocolate!)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla

• 5 bars of Hersey's milk chocolate

• Sprinkles

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°. Mix butter and sugar. Mix in remaining ingredients.

2. Place dough in cookie press, then lay down a ribbon of dough from long end to long end of an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Place Hersey's milk chocolate down the ribbon leaving a small space between each bar.

4. Lay down another ribbon of dough on top of chocolate layer. Sprinkle as desired.

5. Bake until set but not brown, 6 to 9 minutes. Immediately cut (slicing between chocolates) and remove from cookies sheet.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.