Spritz cookies are buttery and delicious, made with a cookie press to create festive shapes! Perfect for adding to any holiday dessert spread.
If you love butter cookies… you’re in the right place. These spritz cookies are so delicious with the BEST rich and buttery flavor. Another great recipe to add to the list is this one for Scottish shortbread! Both are perfect for Christmas, Santa won’t be able to resist. (Unless they’re all eaten before he arrives. Guilty!)
What are Spritz Cookies?
A cousin to butter cookies, these delights get their name from the German word “spritzen,” which means “to squirt.” That’s exactly how they’re made: the dough gets pushed through a special press, creating all sorts of fun shapes, from wreaths to Christmas trees. You can even add a little food coloring to the dough to make them extra festive.
Let’s talk about these cookies, though. They’re like little bites of pure happiness. With just a hint of sweetness and a melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s somewhere between a classic sugar cookie and a buttery shortbread, they’re satisfying without being too heavy. And the best part? They’re a fun to make! Pressing the dough through the cookie press is like playing with Play-Doh, but with the delicious reward of fresh-baked treats. It’s an activity that’s fun for the whole family, and the endless shapes and designs make them perfect for any occasion. So gather your sprinkles and food coloring, preheat the oven, and get ready to spritz up some fun!
Ingredients Needed
The best thing about spritz cookies is that you only need basic ingredients to make them. You may need to pick up some sprinkles or food coloring, because decorating them is half the fun!
- Unsalted Butter: Use softened butter for easy mixing and a smooth dough. You can also use salted butter for your spritz cookies, just omit the added salt!
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the cookies spread slightly.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors of all the ingredients!
- Large Eggs: Use room temperature eggs for better mixing.
- Vanilla Extract and Almond Extract: Add subtle flavor and depth to the Spritz cookies. Feel free to experiment with different extracts like lemon, hazelnut or peppermint!
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives the cookie’s structure.
- Sanding Sugar and Sprinkles: Add a festive touch. Use any kind you prefer!
Spritz Cookie Recipe
Spritz cookies can sometimes be a little finicky, so use these instructions to get them to turn out perfectly every time! Trust me though, they are SO worth it. Buttery, delicious, and festive! Everything you could want from a Christmas cookie!
- Preheat Oven, Prepare Pans: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and then place two cookie sheets in the freezer.
- Butter Mixture: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, sugar, and salt. Beat with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond and beat until well combined. You will likely need to scrape down the bowl two or three times to make sure everything is completely incorporated.
- Mix in Flour: Add the flour in 2-3 additions, scraping down the bowl as needed, until the flour is completely incorporated.
- Cookie Press: Assemble the cookie press with the desired disc. Fill the press with the dough. Place the press flat against one of the chilled baking sheets and press the cookie press for 1 click. Hold for 2-3 seconds before pulling away. If the cookie doesn’t stick to the baking sheet, you can use a small silicone spatula to carefully peel it away from the press and let it fall onto the baking sheet. They can be moved as needed, so long as you are very gentle with them to not ruin the shape.
- Decorate and Bake: If desired, sprinkle with sanding sugar or sprinkles. Bake for 7-8 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Let cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
Chill Your Dough
Sometimes chilling the dough can help it stick to the pan better, but it didn’t make too much of a difference for me. You may try chilling it for 30-60 minutes before loading the dough into your cookie press.
Tips for the Best Spritz Cookies
Spritz cookies can be a little temperamental! Here are some tips to help you make beautiful cookies.
- Bake As-Is: Skip the parchment paper, silicone baking mats, and pan spray! Spritz cookies have enough butter that they won’t stick to the pan when baked directly on them.
- Chill: Cold cookie dough will stick better to frozen baking sheets. You can put the pans in the freezer for an hour or longer. A very, very chilled pan will make things a lot easier.
- Don’t Use Too Much Dough Per Cookie: Press the cookie press for only 1 click per cookie! Any more than that and your cookies will turn into big blobs of shapes because they will have too much dough. After 1 click, give yourself 2-3 seconds before lifting the press from the pan. This will give the dough some time to adhere to the pan.
- Use a Spatula: Even when following the above steps, some shapes had a more difficult time sticking to the pan for me. When the shape just wouldn’t stick to the pan, I used a small silicone spatula to gently scrape the cookie off the press, letting it fall directly onto the pan.
- Colored Cookies: To make colored cookies, separate a small amount of dough in a bowl and mix with a small amount of food coloring until you have your desired color.
- Flavor Extracts: Change up the flavor by adding a tablespoon or two of lemon or orange zest to the dough! You can also try dipping or drizzling the baked cookies in chocolate.
Storing Leftovers
Baked cookies will stay good for up to 10 days at room temperature, or up to 14 days in the fridge. Store in an airtight container. Baked cookies can also be frozen and will stay good for up to 3 months.
Can I Freeze Extra Dough?
Yes! The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before loading it into the cookie press.
More Amazing Christmas Cookies
Spritz Cookies (Buttery & Delicious!)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place two baking sheets in the freezer.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, sugar, and salt. Beat with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
-
Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond and beat until well combined. You will likely need to scrape down the bowl two or three times to make sure everything is completely incorporated.
-
Add the flour in 2-3 additions, scraping down the bowl as needed, until the flour is completely incorporated.
-
Assemble the cookie press with the desired disc. Fill the press with the dough. Place the press flat against one of the chilled baking sheets and press the cookie press for 1 click. Hold for 2-3 seconds before pulling away. If the cookie doesn’t stick to the baking sheet, you can use a small silicone spatula to carefully peel it away from the press and let it fall onto the baking sheet. They can be moved as needed, so long as you are very gentle with them to not ruin the shape.
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If desired, sprinkle with sanding sugar or sprinkles. Bake for 7-8 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Let cool completely before serving.
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