Buttery Spritz Cookies are an easy and buttery Christmas cookie made with basic ingredients.
The usual pantry ingredients (like flour, sugar, and butter) are flavored with a bit of vanilla & almond extract, pressed with a cookie press (you can still make these without a press, details below), and baked into a pretty delicate cookie.
What are Spritz Cookies?
Spritz cookies are small butter cookies with a dough that uses basic ingredients (but the flavor definitely not basic!).
They are most often made with a cookie press to make a classic Christmas cookie recipe. The word spritz comes form the German word spritzen, meaning “to squirt” since the cookies are pressed through a press.
Spritz vs. Shortbread
While they taste similar to whipped shortbread cookies or butter cookies, the main difference is the egg. The texture is less crumbly, they’re more sturdy in texture like a sugar cookie.
Ingredients
This spritz cookie recipe uses the basics, all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract for a melt-in-your-mouth cookie recipe.
Be sure to use real butter (not margarine) for the best buttery flavor.
Variations
- Add in a few drops of food coloring (or gel food coloring) to change the colors. I divide the cookie dough into 2 or 3 and color each.
- Swap out the almond extract and substitute rum extract or your own favorite flavors.
- Make a spice spritz by adding a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and half a teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
How to Make Spritz Cookies
This easy recipe uses basic staple ingredients. The dough is stiff enough that there’s no need to chill before baking.
- Beat butter, sugar, and salt with an electric mixer in a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients (per the recipe below).
- Put batter into a cookie press and squeeze it onto a baking sheet.
- Bake until fragrant and very slightly browned at the edges. Cool on a wire rack.
- Ensure ingredients are room temperature.
- Use an ungreased cookie sheet (with no parchment paper).
Cookie Press
Look for a cookie press with shapes with holiday themes, such as snowflakes, Christmas trees, or pinecones.
For a decorative touch, add red or green food coloring to the dough as you cream the butter and sugar together. Christmas sprinkles, chocolate chips, melted chocolate, cake decorations to add a festive touch.
How to Make Spritz Cookies Without a Cookie Press
No Cookie Press? No problem! To make spritz without a cookie press, roll out the dough and use cookie cutters or a glass to cut out round shapes. Or, shape into one-inch balls and press them with anything that has a design, the bottom of a glass can leave a pretty design.
To Store
FREEZER Pack them in freezer bags or containers. Spritz cookies are one of the best recipes for making ahead to get a jump on holiday baking.
They’ll keep for months, and take only minutes to thaw. Be sure to make a lot and you’ll never be without a treat to offer guests or bring to parties.
COUNTER You can also store tightly covered spritz cookies in the pantry for up to a week, or in the fridge for two weeks or longer.
Did you love this Spritz Cookie Recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Spritz Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- With a mixer on medium speed, cream butter, powdered sugar, and salt until fluffy. Mix in egg, vanilla, and almond extract.
- Add flour a little bit at a time beating after each addition.
- Place dough into a cookie press. Squeeze cookies about 1 ½" apart and add sprinkles if desired.
- Bake 7-9 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
The Best Holiday Cookies
- Candy Cane Cookies – festive & fun cookie
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies – a classic holiday favorite
- Perfect Gingerbread Cookies – great for decorating
- Eggnog Cookies – fav holiday drink in a cookie!
- Christmas M&M Cookies – soft & chewy
First try at spritz cookies and loved this recipe! Dough was easy to work with tastes delicious.
I haven’t made your recipe – yet – but I’ve been looking for a way to make cookie-press cookies without using a press, but with that same delicious dough. With arthritic hands, I can’t use my cookie-press this year. So tomorrow I’m going to try your suggestions. The thin, uncolored cookie-press cookies have always been my very favorite of the dozen or so recipes I make every year.
What I’d really like to know, however, is what disc did you use to make the uncolored cookies in the photo? I’ve had a cookie press since childhood (I have one exactly like my mother’s Mirro press from the1960s, with the same discs), but I’ve never seen a disc that could make cookies that shape, and they are spectacular. Thanks for your help!
I love these cookies too! That shape comes from the disc seen here in the top row, second from the left that looks like seven little stars.
Hello! Have you baked any Spritz Cookies in an air fryer yet? If so, how long did you bake them? Did you change the ingredients? Did you use parchment paper? I have a tall air fryer with 3 pierced trays, not the bucket kind. Any advice? Thank you!
Hi Susan, we have not tried making these in the air fryer. Maybe another reader has that could weigh in?
This is the same recipe as my Moms. The best,,,I’ve used it for years also. My favorite and everyone else too! And,,,,the copper Cookie press,,,,in the recipe picture, is the same one that was my Mom’s,,,now mine that I use. Tried all those fancy ones, electric etc. Nope always to back to that one! Happy Baking!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this cookie recipe Karen!
I’ve tried several times to make spritz cookies but the dough always clings to the inside is the press and the dough doesn’t come out neatly. What am I doing wrong?
Are you using an ungreased non-stick cookie sheet? The cookies need to be able to cling to the pan. Sticky dough can means your dough is too soft, so you can also try to chill the dough slightly. I hope this helps DeDe!
This is the perfect spritz recipe!!
We couldn’t agree more Julie!
These were so yummy! I lightly rolled my dough in flour and used a small mooncake press to shape the cookies, adding sprinkles or decorating sugar to some. Came out adorable!
Your spritz cookie recipe is the very best, I tried others but yours by far turned out better
Thank you
I’m so glad you loved it Stella!
So easy peasy, Thanks for a great recipe. Rolled out, no cookie press. Finally had success with a rolled out recipe. Quick and easy. So happy!
If I can’t use almond extract b/c our child is allergic to almonds, do I add another 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract or just use the original 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract? I guess I’m asking would I use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract if not using almond extract? Thank you!!!
You can use 1 teaspoon of vanilla.