Tender, buttery Spritz Cookies are so fun to make and come in the prettiest shapes! Dip them in glaze or sprinkle them before baking for a festive, easy cookie!
If you love these easy spritz cookies and think they are the best thing ever, be sure to check out my Christmas Pinwheel Cookies and Easy Jam Thumbprint Cookies as well! And don't miss any of my best Christmas cookies recipes!
So spritz cookies aren't my favorite cookie of all time, but they really are a fun addition to a holiday cookie plate because of their unique shapes and wonderful texture and flavor.
Plus, using a spritz cookie press (affiliate link) is like playing with play-doh for grownups. It's so much fun!
What is a spritz cookie?
The name of these cookies comes from the German word "spritzen" which means "to squirt". The soft dough is pressed, or squirted, through decorative plates using a cookie press to create all sorts of delightful shapes and designs!
Classic shapes include wreaths, snowflakes, trees, flowers, and rosettes.
How to Make Spritz Cookies
Making spritz cookie dough is incredibly easy. It's just a matter of creaming butter and sugar, then adding eggs, vanilla, salt, and flour.
Don't chill the dough, because you actually want it to be very soft so it's easy to press.
If you want to color some of the dough, I recommend using gel food coloring (affiliate link) because it only takes a drop or two to get really vibrant colors in this cookie dough.
Fill the barrel of your cookie press with some of the spritz cookie dough, the press individual cookies onto a baking sheet. I took these pictures using parchment paper, but ended up finding out that it worked better to press the cookies onto a silpat mat, which was heavier and gave the cookies something to stick to.
The most common problem when making spritz cookies is when the pressed cookie dough doesn't release from the plate after it has been pressed. But I found that after peeling off one of two cookies, I didn't have any further problems with my cookies sticking.
And if some of your dough DOES get stuck, you can just add it back into the barrel and press it again.
How to Decorate Spritz Cookies
It's so fun to change the shape of the die cut on the bottom of the press to make different designs. I sprinkled some of them with sparkling sugar and others with sprinkles before baking. You can use all sorts of fun colored sugars to change these up.
But another fun choice is to dip the cookies in a simple glaze after they bake and sprinkle them then. It adds an extra layer of sweetness for anyone who thinks spritz cookies are boring tasting. Another option would be to dip or drizzle them in melted chocolate.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
I don't recommend freezing the spritz cookies if they have been glazed because the glaze can get sticky, but otherwise the unglazed cookies freeze beautifully.
The cookies will keep well for up to 5 days in an airtight container on the counter before they start tasting stale. But they can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe ziploc bag.
More Cookie Recipes
- Chocolate Andes Mint Cookies
- Homemade Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Best Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Carmelitas (Oatmeal, Chocolate, Caramel Bars)
- Oatmeal Rolled Sugar Cookies
- Double Lemon Glazed Cookies
- The Best Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
- Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Chocolate Thumbprint Turtle Cookies
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Spritz Cookies
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- Sprinkles for decorating
Optional Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and salt and beat again, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour and mix again on low speed just until combined. Divide the dough and color part of it with a few drops of gel food coloring (affiliate link), if desired.
- Filled the cookie press with dough. Press the cookies onto the baking sheet about 1 inch apart, then sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar or sprinkles, if desired.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes, just until lightly golden around the edges. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
- If using the glaze, combine the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Dip cooled cookies, then sprinkle with sprinkles, if desired and let them sit on a wire rack until the glaze has set.
Notes
- Spritz cookies can be stored for up to 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
- You can freeze these cookies in a freezer-safe ziplock bag for up to 3 months.
- If you need to make the dough in advance, it will keep in the fridge for 4 days, or you could freeze the dough for up to 3 months and just thaw well before using.
I attempted these for the December Challenge and a cookie feast my family are having. But my mom had to take over because I had more trouble with them then I thought! We didn't glaze ours so they could freeze well.