Spritz Cookies are a must on my Christmas cookie platter, and I use the same easy Spritz Cookies recipe that my mom did, because… nostalgia. Made with six ingredients, they’re tiny, delicate, buttery cookies formed in a cookie press. They can be made year-round, but because I like to decorate them the same way she did, I always make them for Christmas.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Salted butter – I very rarely use salted butter when baking, but I do when making Spritz cookies. If you don’t have salted butter, you can add ¼-½ teaspoon of salt to the recipe.
- Granulated sugar
- Egg yolks – Add richness and help bind the dough without making it too firm. They keep the texture soft and easier to press.
- Almond extract – The classic flavor of Spritz cookies, but you could also use vanilla.
- Flour – All-purpose flour
- Optional decorations – Sprinkles, candied cherries ,etc.
- Cookie press – I’m using this one right now, but I also have another one (but I lost a piece, so I can’t use it).
How to Make Spritz Cookies
Refer to the recipe card below for measurements and complete directions.
Step 1: In a mixer, beat the butter, sugar, egg yolks, and almond extract until smooth. Add the flour a little at a time, mixing until the dough comes together.
Step 2: Choose your cookie dough disk, and load the dough into the cookie press (about ¼ of the dough will fit) and press cookies onto an ungreased baking sheet. (Tips below.) Decorate before baking.
Step 3: Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until the cookies are set but not browned. (My oven takes only 6 minutes.) Cookies are very delicate, so use a good quality cookie spatula to carefully remove from the cookie sheet to a cooling rack.
Helpful Tips
- Use an ungreased baking sheet and skip nonstick pans so the dough can grip and release from the cookie press cleanly. Chilling the baking sheet for a few minutes before pressing can help the shapes stick.
- Avoid chilling the dough. Load the press right after mixing. If you need to refrigerate the dough, let it come back to room temperature before pressing.
- If the first few cookies look wonky, no worries. Scrape the misses back into the bowl and keep going.
- Add sprinkles and decor before baking so everything stays put.
Spritz Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla)
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix butter, sugar, egg yolks and almond extract well. Gradually add flour until thoroughly mixed. Place dough inside a cookie press with desired shape. Press onto ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate as desired. Bake 6-8 minutes or until set but not brown. Carefully remove to cooling rack.
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