Our Spritz Cookies recipe is like a warm hug in cookie form – rich, buttery, and utterly comforting. They’re wonderfully easy to make, lending themselves to festive decorations for Christmas and other holidays. Perfect for any skill level, these cookies are sure to become a cherished favorite.
Butter Spritz Cookies
There’s something undeniably special about our Spritz Cookies, a recipe that resonates with the heart of home baking. Their buttery, tender texture not only melts in your mouth but also melts away the hustle of everyday life, bringing a moment of serene joy with each bite.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its delightful simplicity and versatility. Whether you’re adorning them with festive sprinkles for a holiday touch or enjoying them in their pure, unadorned elegance, these cookies adapt to every mood and occasion, making them a perennial favorite in any baker’s repertoire.
What truly sets our Spritz Cookies apart is their accessibility to bakers of all skill levels. They’re a testament to the fact that extraordinary flavors need not come from complex methods, inviting everyone to experience the satisfaction of creating something both beautiful and delicious in their own kitchen.
Why We Love this recipe for Spritz Cookies
- Classic Christmas cookie recipe.
- Delicious, buttery and sweet cookie recipe.
- Easy spritz cookie recipe -ready in less than 30 minutes.
- Beautifully decorated, colorful cookies are great for any occasion.
What are Spritz Cookies?
Spritz Cookies are buttery, shaped cookies from Germany and Scandinavia, made using a cookie press for their distinctive designs.
Spritz Cookies Ingredients
- Salted sweet cream butter -softened
- Granulated sugar
- Large egg -room temperature
- Clear vanilla flavoring
- Almond extract
- All-purpose flour
- Red candy melts
- Green candy melts
- Nonpareil sprinkles
Butter Spritz Cookies Tools
- Cookie press
- Heat safe bowls
Spritz Cookies Recipe Substitutions & Additions
- ALMOND EXTRACT: You can substitute the almond extract for any other flavoring, for example strawberry or peppermint, or even lemon!
- SPRINKLES: The sprinkles are entirely optional. You could also use a different type of sprinkle if you like.
- CANDY MELTS: If you’re making these cookies for an occasion that’s not Christmas or holiday themed, you can definitely swap out the colorful candy melts to fit in with your party.
SEE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BELOW
How to Make Spritz Cookies with a Cookie Press
- Beat the butter for 1-1.5 minutes.
- Add granulated sugar and continue mixing 1 more minute.
- Add egg, vanilla flavoring, and almond extract. Mix at a medium-low speed until well combined.
- Add the all-purpose flour, and mix until the flour is completely incorporated.
- Using a cookie press, select a decorator disk for each color.
Pro-Tip: If you do not have a cookie press, you can use a piping bag with a decorators tip. - Fill the cookie press tube with cookie dough.
- Press the cookie dough onto an ungreased baking sheet, about 2-inches apart.
Pro-tip: If the dough comes out misshapen or comes out only partially shaped, you can just add it back into the cookie press. - Sprinkle a few of the cookies with nonpareils.
Pro-tip: If you choose to add sprinkles directly to the cookies, it’s important to add them to the unbaked cookie dough before baking. The optional sprinkles will not adhere to the baked cookie dough. - Bake for 8 minutes at 375 degrees.
- Allow cookies to cool.
- Use heat safe bowls to melt the green and red candy melts in the microwave.
- Dip each cookie half way into the desired color of melted candy.
- Sprinkle the dipped section with the nonpareils.
- Allow the cookies to cool, dry, and harden before serving.
Spritz Cookies Tips
- Sprinkles: If you choose to add sprinkles directly to the cookies, it’s important to add them to the unbaked cookie dough before baking. The optional sprinkles will not adhere to the baked cookie dough.
- Bad Shapes: If the dough comes out misshapen or comes out only partially shaped, you can just add it back into the cookie press.
How to Store this Old Fashioned Spritz Cookies Recipe
Store any leftovers in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 5 days. If the room temperature is very warm, store cookies in the refrigerator to keep the dipped section from melting.
How to Freeze Spritz Cookies
You can freeze the baked and undipped cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the cookies to thaw before dipping them in the candy melts.
Sprinkles & Chocolate Spritz Cookies Recipe FAQs
If it’s your first time making these cookies, it can be a bit tricky to get the dough just right. Here are a few of my top tips. First, make sure that the butter is softened. You don’t want it melted, but close. Second, make sure the egg is at room temperature. This can really change the consistency of your dough. Lastly, you want to make sure that your dough is warm, not cold when you put it on the baking sheet.
Spritz cookies tend to be more crumbly than shortbread which will have a bit of a snap to them and be a bit crunchier. The major difference is that shortbread cookies will be chilled before baking and spritz cookies will not.
If you find that your final cookies are hard, it’s likely that you overmixed the flour. It’s best to mix the flour into your dough by hand and stop as soon as there is no dry flour left. That way you don’t overwork it.
To fill a spritz cookie press, simply spoon the prepared dough into the barrel, attach your chosen disk shape, and you’re set to press.
Using parchment paper is optional but recommended for Spritz Cookies to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
Sticky Spritz cookies often result from overly softened butter; chilling the dough for 15-30 minutes before pressing can help.
Tough cookies may occur from overmixing the dough or using too much flour; mix just until combined and measure flour correctly.
Dryness in Spritz cookies can be due to overbaking or a dough that’s too crumbly; adjust baking time and dough consistency accordingly.
Easy Christmas Cookies like these Spritz Cookies:
- Ginger Cookies
- Jello Divinity Candy
- Gingerbread Kiss Cookies
- Secret Kiss Cookies
- Old Fashioned Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Thumbprint Cookies
- Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
- Eggnog Cookies
Old Fashioned Spritz Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted sweet cream butter softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tsp clear vanilla flavoring
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 8 ounce bag red candy melts
- 8 ounce bag green candy melts
- nonpareil sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375*.
- Using a stand mixer, or a medium size mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter for 1 – 1 ½ minutes.
- Add the granulated sugar and continue mixing for 1 more minute.
- Add the egg, clear vanilla flavoring and the almond extract. Mix medium-low speed until well combined.
- Add the all-purpose flour, and mix on low just until the flour is completely incorporated.
- Using a cookie press, select a decorator disk for each color. Fill the cookie press tube with the cookie dough.
- Press the cookie dough onto an ungreased bare baking sheet, 2 inches apart. You can sprinkle a few of the cookies with nonpareils.
- Bake for 8 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to completely cool.
- Using 2 small heat safe bowls, pour ½ the bag of the green candy melts in one bowl and ½ the bag of red candy melts into the other bowl.
- Microwave the candy melts for 1 minute and stir. Continue to microwave in 20 second intervals,stirring after each interval until the candies are completely melted and smooth.
- Dip each cookie half way into the desired color of candy melts. Place the dipped cookies onto a piece of parchment paper.
- Evenly sprinkle the dipped section of cookie with the nonpareils. Allow the candy dipped section of the cookie to completely dry and harden before serving.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 5 days. If the room temperature is very warm, store cookies in the refrigerator to keep the dipped section from melting.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the baked and undipped cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the cookies to thaw before dipping them in the candy melts.
- If you choose to add sprinkles directly to the cookies, it’s important to add them to the unbaked cookie dough before baking. The optional sprinkles will not adhere to the baked cookie dough.
- If the dough comes out misshapen or comes out only partially shaped, you can just add it back into the cookie press.
They look very good,I am keen to try them for christmas.Not sure what candy melts are.
your not alone Mazz. I don’t know what candy melts are either! Sigh