I have wonderful memories of making these delicious classic Spritz cookies each Christmas when I was a kid. When I grew up and moved out, Mom’s Spritz cookie press went with me. It even has the same nail for a handle that my Dad “macgyvered” many, many years ago. These Spritz cookies are classics and oh so delicious! It just doesn’t feel like Christmas without them. 🙂
With most cookie recipes, butter is best and for Spritz it’s kind of essential. The consistency of the dough has to be just right to move through the cookie press and butter is key to this. I’ve only used this old fashioned crank style cookie press so cannot vouch for this recipe in a newer plastic model. I’m sure they would work the same – for me, the best part of making Spritz is using the cookie press I remember from childhood. 🙂
To make the dough, start by mixing the butter and sugar until nice and creamy.
Add the egg and extracts and mix well.
Add the flour and baking powder. Then mix on low speed until well incorporated.
Fill the cookie press with the dough and press the cookies out on an ungreased cookie sheet.
I find about a half turn is just the right amount of dough to push out. It usually takes me a row to get the rhythm down so that I’m making consistently shaped cookies. Maybe the newer presses would do a better job of this.
Sprinkle with colored sugar and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes.
Cool. Enjoy! If these don’t disappear as fast as you make them, they can be frozen. They keep really well in the freezer and defrost pretty quickly.
Spritz Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose unbleached flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- colored sugars optional for decoration
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add egg and extracts and beat on lower speed until well combined.
- Add the flour and baking powder, mixing on low speed until mixed well.
- Using a cookie press, shape the dough into cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Sprinkle with colored sugar.
- Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.