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These buttery spritz cookies are a classic. Decorate them with your favorite sprinkles or leave them plain. The recipe makes a lot so they are perfect for a Christmas cookies exchange or a cookie tray.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Classic Cookie: There are a couple of cookies I remember my mom making every Christmas. One was sugar cookies and the other was Spritz cookies. In fact, I used my mother’s cookie press to make these cookies! If you don’t have a cookie press I bet your mom or grandmother does. (I share a tip below for how to make them without a cookie press)
Full of Buttery Goodness: If you love the flavor of a rich buttery cookie you are going to love this recipe. You can dress these cookies up as fancy as you like with holiday sprinkles, a drizzle of chocolate, sprinkled with nuts or however you like but they are just as delicious plain.
What Are they Called Spritz Cookies?
These cookies are German and come from the German word Spritzen. It means to squirt which refers to the way in which the cookies are made. They are squirted or pushed through a cookie press.
Ingredients Needed
- Butter. I used salted butter. Use a good quality butter as it is the star of the show in these cookies!
- Flour. All purpose unbleached flour is my personal choice.
- Sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract. Be sure and use pure vanilla extract.
- Almond Extract. If you don’t like almond extract use all vanilla extract.
- Salt
- Sprinkles or Nonpareils, optional for decorating
Tips from leigh Anne
- Do not grease your cookie sheet. Greasing it will cause the cookies to spread. There is a lot of butter in these cookies so greasing is not necessary. Do not line with parchment paper either (like I did). Your cookie will release better directly onto an ungreased baking sheet.
- Use dough at room temperature. Do not use chilled dough as it will be too hard to push through the cookie press. If you have made your dough ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen, be sure to bring it to room temperature .
- Spritz cookies won’t spread much so they can be placed fairly close together allowing you to get more on a baking sheet.
How to Make Spritz Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar until creamy. You can also use an electric hand mixer.
- Add in egg, and extracts, mix to combine.
- Add in dry ingredients. Mix until well combined.
- Fill cookie press with dough and press cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart.
- Add sprinkles or any decorations if desired.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes or until they just begin to turn golden brown around the edges.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- Optional: Drizzle with melted chocolate chips.
How to Use a Cookie Press
- Place the desired decorative plate into the bottom of the press.
- Add your cookie dough into the press.
- Place top on and hold the press upright with the bottom directly on the cookie sheet.
- Press the lever or turn (depending on your cookie press) to release a cookie.
- Lift up the press.
If the cookie dough sticks to the press, you can use your finger to gently release the cookie. If the cookie does not release well, just put the dough back into the press and try again.
Note: One thing I learned is that spritz cookies release better if you use an ungreased cookie sheet or don’t line it with parchment paper (like I did in the photo) The cookie will release better if doing it right onto the cookie sheet.
Spritz Cookies Variations:
- Chocolate Spritz Cookies. Use 1/3 cup of cocoa powder and 1 1/4 cups of flour to make chocolate spritz cookies.
- Dipped Spritz Cookies. After cookies are entirely cooled they can be dipped in melted chocolate. Dip just half the cookie and add sprinkles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make spritz cookies without a cookie press?
If you don’t have a cookie press or your mom or grandmother doesn’t, you can use a piping bag and a large 1/2 inch open star tip. If your dough is too stiff to get through the tip, add a bit of milk to dough to soften it up. Just a little at a time.
Can I add color to the dough?
If you want to color your dough I suggest you use gel food coloring, not liquid. Gel gives you better color and you use less food coloring. Liquid food coloring will thin your dough down and cookies may spread too much. If you want to use a few colors, divide your dough into parts and color it.
How long will Spritz Cookies last?
Stored in an airtight container they will last up to 5 days. You can also put them in the freezer for up to three months. If you are dipping or drizzling with chocolate, I recommend doing it after you thaw them, before serving.
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Spritz Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter salted and softened
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar
- sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream together butter and sugar.
- Add in egg and extracts. Mix to combine.
- Add in flour and salt.
- Fill cookie press with dough and press cookies onto an ungreased and unlined baking sheet. Place 1 – 1 1/2 inches apart.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes or until they just begin to brown around the bottom edge.
Tips & Notes:
- Do not grease your cookie sheet. Greasing it will cause the cookies to spread. There is a lot of butter in these cookies so greasing is not necessary. Do not line with parchment paper either (like I did). Your cookie will release better directly onto an ungreased baking sheet.
- Use dough at room temperature. Do not use chilled dough as it will be too hard to push through the cookie press. If you have made your dough ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen, be sure to bring it to room temperature .
- Spritz cookies won’t spread much so they can be placed fairly close together allowing you to get more on a baking sheet.
- If you don’t have a cookie press or your mom or grandmother doesn’t, you can use a piping bag and a large 1/2 inch open star tip. If your dough is too stiff to get through the tip, add a bit of milk to dough to soften it up. Just a little at a time.
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Nutrition Facts:
Francesca Hildreth says
Excellent cookie recipe! My family loved them!