Simple Butter Spritz Cookies
These Simple Butter Spritz Cookies are a delicious Christmas tradition. Similar to shortbread cookies, Spritz Cookies are buttery and soft, but these also have a hint of almond flavour. Make them with a cookie press and add sprinkles to make them festive!
Classic and Delicious
I think everyone has seen these little decorative cookies on a Christmas treat plate at some point in time. Most times they are decorated with sprinkles, or a little bit of glaze drizzled over them. Sometimes they’re dyed different holiday colours like red and green. They are a classic Christmas cookie.
About Spritz Cookies
Spritz cookies are just like shortbread cookies, with the only difference being that they have an egg added to the batter. Other than that, this recipe is just like my Whipped Shortbread but not as crumbly. The nice thing about spritz cookie batter is that it is made to go through a cookie press, hence the name ‘spritz’ which comes from the German word spritzen, meaning ‘to squirt’. Because the dough is soft it can be ‘squirted’ or pushed through a cookie press to make pretty cookie designs.
Using a Cookie Press
I used this OXO cookie press (this is an affiliate link) to make these Spritz Cookies. It’s easy to use and comes with 12 different designs of steel discs. I used the tree, wreath and snowflake.
Why use a cookie press?
Aside from the fact that a cookie press makes the most adorable cookies, I love the small size of them. This recipe make about 100 little cookie-pressed cookies, which means you have plenty to freeze for later or to give away as gifts to friends and family!
Cookie Press Tips:
- Make sure to get all of the air out of the cookie press tube, so press the cookie batter in as much as you can to eliminate any spaces.
- Space the cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheet. The cookies don’t spread much, if at all.
- Hold the press down firmly on the baking sheet when pressing the batter through the press. And wait a few seconds to allow the cookie to ‘fall’ on to the baking sheet.
- It takes practice! Don’t worry if the cookies don’t come out of the press properly, you can just put it back into the batter and try again.
- Don’t worry if the cookies don’t look perfect right out of the cookie press. When they bake they smooth out and look nice!
Makes a great homemade gift!
Homemade cookies are always a perfect holiday gift for friends and family! Make a batch and split it up to give away. I like to wrap cookies in decorative tins or plastic containers. I also like to use pretty holiday themed ziplock bags. If you’re looking for more ideas for gifts from the kitchen, make sure to read my homemade gifts post here.
Spritz Cookie Recipe Tips:
- Cookie Press: I use this OXO cookie press (this is an affiliate link).
- Ingredients: Have the butter and egg at room temperature.
- Icing Sugar: Also called confectioner’s sugar or powdered sugar (here in Canada we call it icing sugar)
- Sprinkles: Sometimes the sprinkles don’t stick well to the raw cookie dough, so you may have to gently press them into the dough, particularly on the more puffy shapes like wreaths. The little trees and snowflakes are easier…the sprinkles fall into the divots and bake into the cookie.
- Baking Pan Prep: Do not grease your baking pan, and don’t use parchment paper or wax paper because the cookies just won’t stick when they come out of the cookie press. You can use a silpat sheet though.
- Baking Pan: Make sure to cool the baking sheets between batches. When I do this I let the sheets cool enough that I can pick them up with my hands, then I put them in the fridge until I need them.
- Cooling Time: Once the cookies come out of the oven, let them cool on the baking pan for about 2 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
- Use a metal spatula to remove the cookies from the baking pan, and onto a wire rack.
- Storage: Store these cookies in an air-tight container for up to 5 days…any longer and they will get hard.
- Freezing: Store these cookies in an air-tight container or ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Delicious options! Dip cooled cookies in melted chocolate for an extra special touch!
Leave a plate out for Santa!
PrintSimple Butter Spritz Cookies
These Simple Butter Spritz Cookies are a delicious Christmas tradition. Similar to shortbread cookies, Spritz Cookies are buttery and soft, but these also have a hint of almond flavour. Make them with a cookie press and add sprinkles to make them festive!
- Yield: 100 small cookies 1x
- Category: Cookie
- Method: Baking
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 1/4 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. About 5 minutes, making sure to scrape the sides often.
- Then add the egg, vanilla and almond extract, mix until creamy.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the salt and flour.
- Remove the whisk attachment from the stand mixer and use the paddle attachment for the next step.
- Then add the flour mixture to the butter mix and beat until just combined. Don’t over mix or your cookies will be dense.
- Using a cookie press (with your choice of stamp decoration), press the cookie dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing the cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart. Make sure to follow the directions for the set up of your cookie press.
- Decorate with sprinkles if you like.
- Bake for 6 minutes. The cookies should be slightly golden along the bottom edges, but the cookies should not be golden.
- Cool the cookies on wire cooling racks.
- NOTE: Make sure to cool the baking sheets between batches. When I do this I let the sheets cool enough that I can pick them up with my hands, then I put them in the fridge until I need them.
Keywords: spritz cookies
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Have a delicious day!
