These melt-in-your-mouth adorable little buttery classic Spritz Cookies are made easily with seven ingredients in a cookie press. I love to bake them for friends and family during the Christmas holidays. The little Christmas trees and wreaths look so adorable on my holiday cookie trays.
However, they sell discs for many other holidays as well, so you can use your cookie press year-round. The kids love to help with these simple cookies, so get the whole family involved in the holiday festivities.
I have always loved to bake cookies, but it is especially fun using my cookie press. Oh, and did I mention how incredibly easy it is? I like to decorate them with sprinkles, chocolate chips, melted chocolate, nonpareils, and sanding sugar. These little beauties have a rich butter flavor and tender texture. I love to include these cute little cookies on my holiday trays along with Snowball Cookies, Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies, and White Chocolate Peanut Holiday Haystack Cookies!
What are Spritz Cookies?
They are tiny cookies that are similar to butter cookies and sugar cookies. They are formed using a cookie press. The dough is made with a little more than a handful of ingredients using a mixer. Unlike shortbread cookies, the dough contains an egg. The mixture is then spooned into a cookie press that is fitted with different disks to create different shapes. They are then pressed out onto a baking sheet. The whole package deal works remarkably well and effortlessly. Add sprinkles before baking or dip in melted chocolate or a simple powdered sugar glaze after baking, and then add sprinkles.
The word “spritz” or the German word “spritzen” means to squirt or spray something at or onto something. In this case, you are squirting the cookie dough through the press onto your baking sheet. You are going to love how much fun these are.
How do you make Spritz Cookies?
Start by creaming your butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Then add the egg, almond extract, vanilla extract, and salt, mixing just until combined. Now turn the mixer to low and add the flour, mixing just until incorporated. Then fill the cookie press with the mixture and press the cookie dough onto a cool baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake in a preheated oven for about 6 minutes. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes before moving them to wire racks to cool.
Wait for the cookies to fully cool before dunking or drizzling them with chocolate or powdered sugar glaze. Decorate with sprinkles, sanding sugar, or nonpareils immediately after dunking or drizzling. If you want to decorate without dunking or drizzling, simply speckle with sprinkles, sanding sugar, or nonpareils before placing them in the oven to bake. I usually do several of these options to create the effects that I want.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- This may be the only cookie I advise baking right on the cookie sheet. They do much better without parchment paper or silicone mats, as both of these hold heat and cause the cookies to spread too fast.
- If you would like to change the color of the dough, simply add a small amount of gel food coloring before blending the flour into the cookie dough.
- Plan your cookies ahead of time and decide whether you will use melted chocolate and/or a glaze. If you are adding sprinkles to the cookies without chocolate or a glaze, then they should be sprinkled on before baking, so they stick to the cookies.
- To make chocolate spritz cookies reduce the flour by 1/4 cup and add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to the cookie dough.
- For a spice spritz, add warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves, or allspice. Just remember that a little goes a long way.
- I have always found that spritz dough best moves through the cookie press after mixing. Refrigeration will cause it to become too stiff to move through the cookie press freely.
- If freezing the cookies, do so before decorating, then thaw and decorate. Chocolate tends to absorb freezer odors, change textures, and whiten in the freezer.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- These cookies freeze exceptionally well, and they ship even better, so plan your holiday baking today.
More cookie recipes for you to enjoy
Spritz Cookie Recipe
These petite buttery Spritz Cookies are the perfect holiday treat. They are delicious, quick, easy and so fun to decorate. Add these adorable treats to your Christmas cookie tray.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 84 cookies
- Category: dessert
- Method: cookie press/bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 2/3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- (optional) chocolate chips, melted chocolate, sprinkles, sanding sugar, or nonpareils for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange oven rack in center of oven.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer on medium speed, cream your butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt, mixing just until combined. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour, mixing just until incorporated.
- Fill the cookie press and press the cookies onto a cool baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Bake in a preheated oven for about 6 minutes or until golden brown. Let the cookies cool for 3-4 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
- Wait for the cookies to fully cool before dunking or drizzling them with chocolate or powdered sugar glaze. Decorate with sprinkles, sanding sugar, or nonpareils immediately after. If you want to decorate without dunking or drizzling, simply speckle with sprinkles, sanding sugar, or nonpareils before placing them in the oven to bake.
Notes
- This may be the only cookie I advise baking right on the cookie sheet. They do much better without parchment paper or silicone mats, as both of these hold heat and cause the cookies to spread too fast.
- If you would like to change the color of the dough, simply add a small amount of gel food coloring before blending the flour into the cookie dough.
- Plan your cookies ahead of time and decide whether you will use melted chocolate and/or a glaze. If you are adding sprinkles to the cookies without chocolate or a glaze, then they should be sprinkled on before baking, so they stick to the cookies.
- To make chocolate spritz cookies reduce the flour by 1/4 cup and add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to the cookie dough.
- For a spice spritz, add warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves, or allspice. Just remember that a little goes a long way.
- I have always found that spritz dough best moves through the cookie press after mixing. Refrigeration will cause it to become too stiff to move through the cookie press freely.
- If freezing the cookies, do so before decorating, then thaw and decorate. Chocolate tends to absorb freezer odors, change textures, and whiten in the freezer.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- These cookies freeze exceptionally well, and they ship even better, so plan your holiday baking today.
Keywords: butter spritz cookies, how to make spritz cookies, best spritz cookies
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Tayler
The kids and I made these over the weekend and they were so fun! Adding to our cookie trays this year!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Tayler! So glad that you and kids had fun!
Bobby
These cookies are so good! I made them over the weekend and loved them. Will definitely be making again for the holidays!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Bobby!
Ieva
Melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Baked them directly on the sheet, and they didn’t spread much, retaining their shape. Will make them again closer to Christmas!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Ieva! Merry Christmas!
Nikki
These classics spritz cookies are so cute and delicious. They will be a fantastic addition to my Holiday dessert table.
★★★★★
Traci
This is cookie perfection right here! Love this classic recipe and all the helpful tips. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Monique
Wow! Your cookie recipe was a game-changer! Surprisingly easy for a non-cook like me. The spritz technique was a fun twist. My friends loved them! Thanks for making me a baking hero without the usual kitchen drama.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine!
Blair villanueva
Wow, these spritz cookies are delicious and hard to resist. I would love to make these as well in gluten-free version for my elderly-friends. You did an awesome job!
★★★★★
Olga
Such cute cookies for the winter holiday! I bet Santa will love them too. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Olga!
Carol Colborn
I will use dark chocolate chips. But what about a different flour to make it GF?
Beth Pierce
I am not familiar with gluten free flours but maybe the readers are.
Jen
I haven’t made spritz cookies in so long. I need to try to make them again this year. Thanks for the recipe and reminder!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Jen!
Vinny
Wow, these were so good and I would give them 10/10. So easy, delicious, and adorable. Perfect cookies for my holiday trays.
★★★★★
LisaLisa
These Spitz cookies were a hit in our house. Everyone loved them and they look so cute. If you don’t have a cookie press, I encourage you to get one!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
I could not agree more, Lisa!
Ebony
I made these for my kids this afternoon and it was a hit! They’re so easy and fun to make! Plus they’re so moist! I can’t wait to make these again!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Ebony! So glad that you and the kids enjoyed making them and eating them.
Julie
This spritz cookie recipe is sure to be a hit at the holidays! It reminds me of when my mother and her sisters used to do a cookie exchange at Christmas every year, and this spritz recipe could be our new favorite Christmas tradition. Thanks for sharing your talents!
★★★★★
LisaLisa
Yum! Grab a few of these with some coffee or cocoa and my kids would be happy. I too love to bake cookies and treats during the Holiday Season.
★★★★★
Claudia
Ahhh! I love these so much! I’m a huge fan of spritz cookies, and these are the best. Thank you!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Claudia!
Sally
These have got to be the best spritz cookies I’ve ever made. The texture of the dough was perfect for spritzing – and the butter cookies just melt in your mouth.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sally! I am so glad that you liked them! We love them too!
Ben
I need these in my life! I’m going to make these over the weekend. They’re such classics for the holiday season.
★★★★★
Linda Hange
Did you add the little chocolate chip before or after baking with the sprinkles? So excited to try this recipe… the last couple of batches just didn’t hit the spot!
Beth Pierce
For the little flowers the chip and little sprinkles go on before baking. Just let them cool real well before touching.
Halomama
These came out perfect and flavor was spot on. Be sure and double or triple this recipe. I didn’t see the option of doing this and so need a double or triple batch with kids in the house (or any cookie fan for that matter). I sprinkled a bit of colored sugar on some prior to baking but the real fun is dipping in glaze and letting the kids go to town on the multitude of sprinkle options. So glad I found this recipe. And for those that are new to the spritz cookie press, I pump mine 1-1/2 times and if the cookie doesn’t stick, just put the press down and give it a small extra press and does the trick for me. That said, there will be a cookie or three that come out too big. I just put those back into the dough and do it again. After awhile you get a “feel” with each cookie style of when enough has been pressed. For me, it is always 1-1/2 pumps.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Such great tips! I love spritz cookies! They are so much fun!!
Sara Welch
My kids and I love making these during the holidays; one of our all time favorites and these look perfect!
★★★★★
Cathy
Spritz cookies are such a classic and one of our favorites!
Toni Dash
This is so cute and adorable! They are so good too! Really addictive!
★★★★★
Catalina
The cookies season is on and I love baking them every weekend!
★★★★★
Vikki
These are so adorable, I love the designs. Made them and they were delicious!
★★★★★
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
These Spritz Cookies are would disappear in our house!
★★★★★
Gloria
I have yet to buy a spritzer. Looking at this post, I am off to search for one. These cookies are holiday perfect.
★★★★★
Anjali
These are the perfect little cookies for the holidays!! I know my kids will have a ton of fun making them (and eating them too!) 🙂
★★★★★
Amanda
Perfect holiday cookies! My kids and I will enjoy these!
★★★★★
Jess
I have a cookie press that I had never used. I was always unsure how to do it until I came across your recipe! Now we have a new holiday tradition. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Gail Montero
Looking for yummy cookies to add to our holiday baking and these look delicious indeed!
★★★★★
Emily Liao
These spritz cookies sure melt in your mouth! So soft and delicious.
★★★★★