Spritz Cookies
Ingredients
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- 1 cups unsalted butter – softened
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg – at room temperature
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoons fine salt
- 1 tablespoons whole milk – add only if dough is too stiff
- colored sprinkles – for decorating (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare 2–3 ungreased, unlined baking sheets; do not use parchment or silicone mats.
2. Beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 3–4 minutes.
3. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until smooth, about 1 minute.
4. Whisk the all-purpose flour and fine salt in a bowl. Add to the butter mixture and mix on low just until a soft, cohesive dough forms, 20–30 seconds.
5. If the dough seems stiff or crumbly and does not press easily, beat in whole milk a little at a time (up to 1 tablespoon) just until pliable.
6. Load the dough into a cookie press fitted with your chosen plate. Press cookies directly onto the cool, ungreased baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart.
7. Decorate the shaped dough with colored sprinkles if using.
8. Bake until set and the edges are just beginning to turn light golden, 8–10 minutes, rotating the sheet once halfway through. Done cookies will look dry on top and lift easily from the pan.
9. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Press and bake remaining dough, keeping baking sheets cool and ungreased between batches.
10. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week; cookies can be frozen airtight for 1–2 months.
Spritz cookies are delicate butter cookies pressed into festive shapes using a cookie press, yielding crisp edges and a tender, melt-in-the-mouth center. Their flavor is clean and buttery with a gentle lift from vanilla and a whisper of almond, making them a natural canvas for colored sugars or sprinkles. Because the dough is pressed rather than rolled, the cookies hold intricate designs that bake up evenly and showcase fine detail.
Originating from the German and broader Central/Northern European tradition of Spritzgebäck, the name comes from the German verb "spritzen," meaning to squirt or press. These cookies became popular holiday treats across Germany, Austria, and Scandinavia, and were carried to North America by immigrants. Mid-20th-century home baking culture and the widespread availability of cookie presses cemented spritz cookies as a Christmas staple in many households.