Spritz Cookie Recipe (2024)

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This spritz cookie recipe is for buttery and sweet-pressed cookies. They are festive and so fun to make, with all kinds of shapes!

For more perfectly merry cookies to add to your holiday spread, try Peppermint Sugar Cookies and Christmas Sugar Cookies.

Spritz Cookie Recipe (1)

We Love These Festive cookies!

This spritz cookie recipe is similar to both Sugar Cookies and Shortbread Cookies. We love handing out these bite-size beauties to our neighbors!

Here are some of the reasons we love these cookies:

  • Visually appealing. They are buttery and show off a beautiful intricate design.
  • Festive. Butter spritz cookies can be colored and shaped for any season or holiday. We did wreaths and Christmas trees this time!
  • Nostalgic. These pressed cookies instantly transport me to my childhood. We made these every year during Christmas.

This is a cookie recipe that always makes it onto our holiday treat plates, along with our Christmas Cookies and Christmas Crack. Give them a try!

Spritz Cookie Recipe (2)

Ingredients

  • unsalted butter – Be sure to soften the butter, otherwise, you won’t get the creamy, fluffy texture you desire.
  • sugar
  • egg
  • flavoring – Vanilla and almond extract are the traditional flavors of these cookies, but you can experiment and use lemon, orange, peppermint, or rum extract.
  • all-purpose flour – Be sure to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and level off. The recipe also works well using 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.
  • salt
  • gel food coloring – Use gel, not liquid coloring. You only need a couple of drops of the gel, whereas you would need several drops of the liquid which then thins out the dough.
  • colorful sprinkles – Add different sprinkles, sparkling sugar, or finely chopped nuts before baking. Drizzle with glaze or melted chocolate after baking.
Spritz Cookie Recipe (3)
Spritz Cookie Recipe (4)

Using A Cookie Press

  • To get the best spritz cookie recipe, I recommend purchasing a cookie press.
  • Cookie press alternative. If you don’t have a spritz cookie press, try using a piping bag with different decorative tips, like a star tip. The dough is on the thicker side, so you may want to choose a larger tip and squeeze firmly.
  • Pressing tips:
    • The biggest tip I can recommend is to use a PLAIN, UNGREASED, COLD cookie sheet. You want the bottom of the cookie to stick to the baking sheet so it won’t get stuck in the cookie press.
    • Go ahead and click the cookie press a couple of times to help the dough release easier.
    • The dough does not spread much at all, so the shape you pipe out will be the shape of the baked cookie. For this reason, when you pipe out the dough be sure that all parts are touching.
Spritz Cookie Recipe (5)

How to Make Spritz Cookies

  1. PREP. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. WET INGREDIENTS. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.Add the egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract, and beat until smooth.
  3. DRY INGREDIENTS. Add the flour and salt to the bowl and stir until combined. It really helps to make sure the cookie dough is about the texture of soft play dough.
  4. COLOR. Add gel food coloring to the dough if desired.
  5. PRESS. Add the dough to a cookie press, with the desired shape plate attached. Squirt the cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.
    • If you try to bake them on a baking sheet that’s greased/lined with parchment paper, or on a silicone mat, the dough will stick to the cookie press instead, and won’t stay on the sheet.
  6. BAKE. Bake 6-8 minutes, until cooked through, but not browned. Let them cool a little on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Spritz Cookie Recipe (6)

Variations

You can create variety by using the different shapes that come with the cookie press. Another way is other is to add color and decorations.

  • Making colorful cookies. To make more than one color out of a batch of cookies, divide the dough into different bowls. Mix each bowl of dough with the desired color. Clean the cookie press when switching to a new color.
    • Note that colored cookies tend to brown more quickly than plain cookies so watch carefully.
Spritz Cookie Recipe (7)

Recipe Tips

  • Mixing the dough. As important as it is to mix the dough thoroughly in the beginning, it is equally important that you don’t over-mix the dough once you add the flour. Overmixing the dough can cause the gluten to over-activate, resulting in a tougher cookie.
  • Give them as gifts. Whether you take them to a neighbor or ship them across the country, they make great gifts.
    • Package your cookies in a holiday tin (the Dollar Store and Walmart are great options). Fill the tin with cupcake liners, then stack the cookies in the liners.
    • If you decide to ship these to faraway friends, I recommend freezing them and then placing the frozen cookies into the package to ship.
    • They also make a pretty addition to holiday cookie trays.
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storing info

  • Make ahead of time. Make the dough ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Simply allow it to come to room temperature (30-40 minutes) before pressing and baking.
  • Freeze the dough.
    • Roll the dough into a log, wrap it with plastic and again with foil, then freeze – OR stamp out the dough into shapes, and place the dough into the freezer.
    • Once frozen, place the shaped dough into a freezer-safe bag. The frozen dough can keep for up to 3 months.
    • To bake: Allow the dough to thaw to room temperature before baking.
  • STORE. Spritz cookies store really well, so they are great for shipping to family and friends who live far away. Keep in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Spritz Cookie Recipe (9)

For more holiday cookies, try:

Italian Christmas Cookies

1 hr 20 mins

Recipe Video

Gingerbread CookieS Recipe

40 mins

Recipe Video

Snowball Cookies

24 mins

Recipe Video

Spritz Cookie Recipe (14)

Spritz Cookie Recipe (15)

4.98 from 199 votes

Spritz Cookie Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna

This spritz cookie recipe is for buttery and sweet-pressed cookies. They are festive and so fun to make, with all kinds of shapes!

Servings: 36 Cookies

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 6 minutes mins

Total: 21 minutes mins

Ingredients

for the cookies:

for decorating:

  • gel food coloring
  • colorful sprinkles

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.

  • Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract, and beat until smooth.

  • Add the flour and salt to the bowl and mix until combined. Add gel food coloring to the dough if desired.

  • Add the dough to a cookie press with the desired shape plate attached. Press the cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

  • Bake 6-8 minutes, until cooked through but not browned. Let cool before serving.

Video

Notes

  • Make ahead of time. Make the dough ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Simply allow it to come to room temperature (30-40 minutes) before pressing and baking.
  • Freeze the dough.
    • Roll the dough into a log, wrap it with plastic and again with foil, then freeze – OR stamp out the dough into shapes, and place the dough into the freezer.
    • Once frozen, place the shaped dough into a freezer-safe bag. The frozen dough can keep for up to 3 months.
    • To bake: Allow the dough to thaw to room temperature before baking.
  • STORE. Spritz cookies store really well, so they are great for shipping to family and friends who live far away. Keep in an airtight conditioner for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 86kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Sodium: 59mg, Potassium: 12mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 164IU, Calcium: 3mg, Iron: 0.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Making this recipe? Tag us!

Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!

Categorized as: American Recipes, Christmas, Cookies, Cuisines, Desserts, Holidays, Recipes

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

More About Kristyn

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Spritz Cookie Recipe (21)

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Spritz Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a spritz cookie and a butter cookie? ›

What is the difference between spritz and butter cookies? These cookies are nearly identical, except for one ingredient: egg. Egg makes the Spritz cookie dough a bit easier to work with, but it also helps the cookies keep their shape when baked.

Can you use parchment paper for spritz? ›

No do not use parchment paper and do not grease the cookie sheet either. Spritz are butter cookies so they need something grippy to grip onto. And since there is so much butter in the recipe they come off the cookie sheet very easily.

Why won t my Spritz cookies release from cookie press? ›

If it's too cold, it'll be hard to squeeze out of the pres. If it's too warm, it'll be too soft, and it won't hold its shape when baked. Holding your hand on the tube will warm the dough, so try to use just one hand on the trigger – place your other hand on the cookie sheet to keep it from moving.

Why are they called Spritz cookies? ›

The name spritz comes from the German word spritzen, meaning "to squirt" because the soft dough is squirted or pushed through a cookie press to make fancy designs. Butter is responsible for the tender, rich texture and flavor of these incredible cookies. Margarine would not work nearly as well.

Why are my spritz cookies tough? ›

Simply adding the flour to the stand mixer and beating it in runs the risk of overdeveloping gluten and giving you a tough or dense cookie (not what you want after all that work with the creaming). Instead, the best method is to add the flour and mix it in by hand, stopping as soon as no dry flour remains.

What is the best cookie sheet for spritz cookies? ›

Insulated Cookie Sheets

Pros: Cookie sheets are insulated to prevent the bottoms of the cookies from browning too much or too quickly and are ideal for when you're baking thin or delicate cookies, or treats should be lightly colored, such as spritz cookies and shortbread.

Why did my spritz cookies spread in the oven? ›

Excess Sugar and Fat

If your cookie contains excess sugar or fat, it will spread while baking. If your first batch of cookies spreads, try adding a few tablespoons of flour to help thicken the remaining dough.

Why do my spritz cookies taste like flour? ›

Improper flour measurement is the #1 cause of your cookie dough being too dry or the cookies tasting like flour.

Why did my spritz cookies go flat? ›

Mistake 3: There's too much sugar or not enough flour

If you're heavy-handed when measuring, that extra sugar means extra liquid and more spread when baking in the oven. Using too little flour could lead to flat cookies, too.

Why is my Spritz cookie dough so sticky? ›

Sticky dough usually means your dough is too soft. Try chilling it for a few minutes or add 1 teaspoon of sifted flour to your dough until the proper consistency is achieved.

When making spritz cookies do you decorate before or after baking? ›

If you decide to use icing make sure the cookies are cooled completely before decorating them and don't add any sprinkles before baking. This spritz cookies recipe bakes quickly so keep an eye on them, you don't want them to brown they should just be starting to turn ever so slightly golden at the edges.

What is the number one selling cookie in America? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co. But did you know Oreos are a copycat product?

What ethnicity are Spritz cookies? ›

Spritzgebäck (German: [ˈʃpʁɪt͡sɡəˌbɛk]), also called a spritz cookie in the United States, is a type biscuit or cookie of German and Alsatian-Mosellan origin made of a rich shortcrust pastry. When made correctly, the cookies are crisp, fragile, somewhat dry, and buttery.

How do you keep Spritz cookies from spreading? ›

Helpful Hints and Tips for Perfect Spritz Cookies:

Do not chill the dough before using. The dough should be at room temperature so it can be piped through the press. If your cookies start to spread or your kitchen is warm, try chilling the pans in the refrigerator for a few minutes before piping the cookies on the pan.

What are the 4 cookie types? ›

Here are the 4 main types of cookies:
  • Session cookies. These are temporary web cookies that are only present as long as your web browser stays open or your session is active. ...
  • Persistent cookies. ...
  • Third-party cookies. ...
  • First-party cookies. ...
  • User experience. ...
  • Advertising and marketing. ...
  • Analytics and web optimization.
May 22, 2023

What is the difference between spritz and shortbread cookies? ›

Spritz cookies have one additional ingredient that shortbread cookies are missing: egg. Adding egg yolk to the dough makes it a bit easier to work with and helps the the cookies hold their cute shapes.

Why are they called butter cookies? ›

Butter cookies, also known as Danish butter cookies, are cookies originating in Denmark consisting of butter, flour, and sugar. They are similar to shortbread cookies. The butter cookie is often categorized as a "crisp cookie" due to its texture, caused in part by the quantity of butter and sugar.

What is the difference between a butter cookie and shortbread cookie? ›

The difference between butter cookies and shortbread cookies is the amount butter in the recipe vs the amount of sugar. Butter cookies typically are made using more sugar and less butter than shortbread. Shortbread cookies contain more butter, which gives them their amazing crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

References

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