Simplicity meets elegance in every buttery, crisp bite of these spritz cookies. Perfect for any occasion, these classic cookies promise to add a touch of festive charm to your baking repertoire.
Why You’ll Love This Spritz Cookie Recipe
These spritz cookies not only capture the essence of simple, classic baking but they also offer plenty of reasons to fall in love with every batch!
- Effortless elegance. Spritz cookies are not only delicious, but they also have a delicate, intricate appearance that adds a touch of elegance to your holiday cookie trays or for any occasion.
- Versatile. You may immediately associate these cookies with Christmas, but they’re a great choice any time of year for an easy, festive treat. Just change the shapes and sprinkles to suit the season!
- Simple ingredients, big flavor. With just a few basic ingredients you likely already have in your pantry, these cookies deliver a buttery, sweet flavor that’s hard to resist.
- Fun to make. Enjoy creating various shapes and designs, making the baking process as enjoyable as the eating!
- Crowd pleaser. Loved by both kids and adults, these classic cookies are sure to be a hit with everyone.
What Are Spritz Cookies?
Spritz cookies, known as Spritzgebäck in German, are a classic European cookie famous for their crisp, delicate texture and buttery richness. The name ‘spritz’ comes from the German word “spritzen,” meaning to squirt, which is a perfect way to describe the method of making these cookies using a cookie press to form decorative shapes.
Originating from Germany and Scandinavia, these cookies are a long-standing staple during Christmas and holiday seasons. Don’t just relegate them to once a year, though! Their delightful taste and elegant appearance make them perfect for many occasions year-round.
What You’ll Need
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions. Here are some notes about the ingredients required to make your spritz cookies.
- Unsalted butter – Let the butter soften before mixing. Learn more: How to Soften Butter
- Granulated sugar
- Egg – Set the egg out along with the butter to allow it to come to room temperature. That will help make a smoother dough.
- Vanilla extract – Use a good quality store-bought or homemade vanilla extract.
- Almond extract – This adds another layer of flavor, but you can omit it if you like.
- All-purpose flour – Measure by weight or use the spoon and sweep method for getting an accurate measurement. Learn more: How to Measure Flour
- Salt
- Sprinkles – Have fun decorating your spritz cookies with your favorite sprinkles! Be sure to use sprinkles that will hold up through baking. Jimmies, nonpareils, and sanding sugar are good choices. Learn more: Types of Sprinkles
How to Make Spritz Cookies
These pretty little cookies are a breeze to make. Here’s a look at what you’ll need to do:
- Prepare for baking. Heat the oven to 350°F. Place your baking sheets in the refrigerator to chill. This recipe makes a big batch of cookies, so you’ll need a few pans. (See my tips section below if you need to reuse baking pans.)
- Mix the wet ingredients. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until they’re fluffy and lightened in color. You can use either a stand mixer or a hand mixer. Add the egg and both of the extracts, and mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients. Mix the flour and salt into the butter mixture. Don’t over-mix; mix just until combined.
- Prepare your cookie press. Follow the manufacturer’s directions to load your cookie press with the dough. Lightly grease the bottom of the press with a nonstick cooking spray.
- Press the cookies. Remove a baking sheet from the refrigerator. Place the loaded press directly onto the ungreased baking sheet. Gently press the handle and pop it back to release the cookie dough onto the pan. Repeat, refilling and re-greasing the press until you’ve formed all the cookies.
- Decorate! Add sprinkles to each cookie.
- Bake. Place one pan of cookies in the heated oven, and bake for 8 minutes. The edges should be golden brown. Repeat with the remaining pans of cookies.
- Cool. Place the pans on a wire rack, and allow the cookies to cool to room temperature. Then use a spatula to remove them gently from the pans.
Can I Make Spritz Cookies Without a Cookie Press?
Yes! Roll out the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness and use cookie cutters to cut out the dough. They won’t have the trademark shape of spritz cookies, but the flavor won’t be affected.
Tips for Success
These spritz cookies are quite easy to make, but there are a few things to keep in mind to help make sure yours turn out perfectly.
- Start with chilled pans. Cold baking pans will help your cookies have a delicate yet defined shape by helping them adhere to the pan and preventing them from over-spreading.
- Don’t grease or line the pans. I pretty much always recommend lining your baking sheets when baking cookies, but this recipe is an exception. Putting the dough directly on the pan will help the cookies keep their pretty shapes.
- Grease the cookie press. This will help the cookie dough release more cleanly from the press. A nonstick cooking spray should do the trick. Be sure to reapply it as needed.
- Practice patience. If you’re new to using a cookie press, give yourself some time to get the hang of it. It might take a few tries to get the perfect cookie, but it’s worth the effort! If you aren’t happy with your first few cookie shapes, simply remove the dough from the pan and try again.
- Cool the pans between batches. If you need to reuse any of your baking sheets, be sure to let them cool completely and chill the pans before adding the cookie dough to them.
Variations
There are plenty of tasty little tweaks you can make to this spritz cookie recipe to make it your own. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Lemon. Add a bit of lemon zest to your dough for a fresh, citrusy twist. You can also include a bit of lemon extract in place of the almond extract for an extra zing.
- Chocolate-dipped. Once baked and cooled, dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate – dark, milk, or white, and then sprinkle with chopped nuts or colorful sprinkles.
- Spiced. Add a pinch or two of ground cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg for a warm, spiced version.
- Colorful. Add a few drops of food coloring along with the extracts for a bright, happy twist.
How to Store
After the cookies have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Keep cool and dry. Layer the cookies between parchment paper to help keep them looking their best. These spritz cookies are best enjoyed fresh, but you can store them up to 5 days.
Can These Cookies Be Frozen?
Yes, you can freeze these spritz cookies. Place the cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Then, transfer them to a resealable freezer bag or container. Properly stored, the cookies should keep in the freezer up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Classic Holiday Cookies
Spritz Cookies
Experience the charm of traditional baking with these easy-to-make Spritz Cookies. Perfect for any occasion, they're sure to bring elegance and joy to your table!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 & 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place 2 or 3 baking sheets in the refrigerator to chill.
- Using an electric stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and both extracts, and mix until combined.
- Add the flour and salt, and mix just until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Be sure not to over-mix.
- Load your cookie press according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- Lightly spray the bottom of the press with nonstick cooking spray. (Do not grease the baking sheets.)
- Remove the chilled baking sheets from the refrigerator. Gently press the cookie press handle down and pop it back up to release the cookie dough onto the sheet. (The cookies can be close together, but not touching.) Repeat and refill the press until all the dough has been pressed, respraying the press as needed.
- Decorate each cookie with your choice of sprinkles.
- Bake one pan at a time for 8 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown.
- Cool the cookies to room temperature, and then gently release from the baking sheet with a spatula.
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2 Comments on “Spritz Cookies”
Never in all my decades of baking have I seen a spritz recipe that starts with chilled cookie sheets. It made all the difference! We all love spritz cookies but got to the point that no one would make them because me the cookies would not stick to the cookie sheet. Thank you for the “aha” detail!
It really makes a difference, doesn’t it? I’m so glad it worked for you, Carolyn!