Perfect Buttery Spritz Cookies (A Foolproof Holiday Classic!)

Imagine a cookie so delicate and buttery it literally melts in your mouth, a tiny, festive shape that’s as fun to make as it is to eat. That, my friends, is the pure, nostalgic magic of a classic Buttery Spritz Cookie. This isn’t just a holiday cookie; it’s a tradition, an activity, and the most charming and delicious bite you’ll find on any Christmas cookie platter.

I promise you, there is no greater feeling than creating a huge batch of these beautiful little cookies, ready to be decorated with colorful sprinkles or dipped in rich chocolate. The flavor is pure, unadulterated butter, with a hint of vanilla and almond that is simply divine. They are a true show-stopper and the quintessential holiday cookie for gifting and sharing.

Get ready to master the classic cookie press and create dozens of the most delightful, melt-in-your-mouth cookies you’ve ever made.

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Why These Will Be Your Favorite Holiday Cookies!

You are going to fall completely in love with this timeless and delicious recipe. It’s a holiday staple for so many good reasons:

• Melt-In-Your-Mouth Buttery Perfection: This recipe creates a cookie with a fine, delicate crumb that is incredibly rich, buttery, and tender. It’s the ultimate classic flavor.
• The Fun of Using a Cookie Press: There is something so satisfying and magical about pressing out dozens of perfect little shapes. It’s a fun activity for the whole family!
• A Simple, No-Chill Dough: This dough is specifically designed to be used right away! There’s no need for chilling, which means you can go from mixing to baking in minutes.
• Makes a Huge Batch: This recipe yields about 7.5 dozen cookies, making it absolutely perfect for holiday cookie exchanges, gifting to friends and neighbors, or stocking the cookie jar.
• Endlessly Fun to Decorate: From simple sprinkles before baking to dipping them in chocolate and nuts after, these little cookies are the perfect canvas for your creative holiday spirit.

Recipe Snapshot

Your Shopping List for These Buttery Beauties

This classic recipe uses simple pantry staples to create its signature melt-in-your-mouth texture.

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→ For the Buttery Spritz Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened → The key to a rich, buttery flavor.
• 2 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar, divided → Using powdered sugar in the dough creates an incredibly fine, tender crumb.
• ½ teaspoon salt → To balance the sweetness.
• 1 large egg, room temperature → Binds the dough together.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract & ½ teaspoon almond extract → The classic, perfect flavor combination for a buttery cookie.
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour → Provides the structure.

→ For Decorating

• 2 to 3 tablespoons water → For making the simple glaze.
• Colored sugar and sprinkles → For festive fun!
• Melted semisweet chocolate → Optional, for a decadent dipped finish.

Let’s Make Spritz Cookies! Your Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to create dozens of adorable, delicious cookies? Grab your cookie press!

Part 1: The Buttery Cookie Dough

1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Do NOT grease your baking sheets—the dough needs to stick to the pan to release from the press.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the softened butter, 1 ¼ cups of the confectioners’ sugar, and the salt on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is very light, pale, and fluffy.
3. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the room temperature egg and the vanilla and almond extracts until well combined.
4. Add Flour: Gradually beat in the flour on low speed, mixing only until it’s just incorporated. Do not overmix! The dough should be soft but not sticky.

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Part 2: Press, Bake, and Decorate

5. Press the Cookies: Fill your cookie press with the dough and fit it with your desired disk. Hold the press vertically against the cool, ungreased baking sheet and press out the cookies, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake to Perfection: Bake for 6-8 minutes. This is crucial: you want the cookies to be set, but not browned at all. This is the secret to their tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
7. Cool Completely: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a minute before carefully transferring them to wire racks to cool completely. You must wait until they are fully cool before decorating with glaze or chocolate.
8. Decorate: In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar with enough water to create a glaze of your desired consistency. You can dip the cooled cookies in the glaze and then add sprinkles, or dip them in melted chocolate. Let them stand on waxed paper until the coating is completely set.

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Buttery Spritz Cookies

This classic holiday recipe creates the most delicious, melt-in-your-mouth Buttery Spritz Cookies! Using a cookie press and a simple, no-chill dough, you can make dozens of beautiful and festive cookies that are perfect for gifting and parties.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 90

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, German

Calories: 43

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 to 3 tablespoons water for glaze
• as needed Colored sugar and sprinkles
• as needed Melted semisweet chocolate, optional

Equipment

• Cookie press
• Electric mixer or Stand mixer
• Baking Sheets
• Wire racks

Method

 

Make the Dough

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, cream the butter, 1-1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar and salt until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Beat in the egg and extracts. Gradually beat in the flour until just combined.

Press and Bake

1. Using a cookie press fitted with a disk of your choice, press dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
2. Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until set but not browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Decorate the Cookies

1. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar with enough water to reach desired glaze consistency.
2. Dip the cooled cookies in the glaze and immediately sprinkle with colored sugar and sprinkles. Alternatively, dip in melted chocolate. Let stand on waxed paper until set.

Notes

Do Not Chill Dough: This dough is designed to be soft for the cookie press and should not be refrigerated before use.

Use Ungreased Pans: The cookie dough needs to stick slightly to the cool, ungreased baking sheet to properly separate from the press.

Do Not Brown: The key to a tender, melt-in-your-mouth spritz cookie is to bake them only until they are set but still pale. Do not wait for them to turn golden brown.

WiseRecipes’ Top Tips for Perfect Spritz Cookies

These are the little secrets that ensure your cookie press works its magic every time.

1. Do NOT Chill the Dough. This is the opposite of most cookie recipes! Spritz cookie dough is designed to be soft and pliable to easily pass through the press. Chilling it will make it too stiff to work with.
2. Use an Ungreased, Cool Baking Sheet. This is essential! The dough needs to stick slightly to the baking sheet in order to release from the press when you lift it away. Using a cold, clean, ungreased metal sheet is the key to success.
3. The Right Dough Consistency is Everything. If your dough is too stiff, it won’t press. If it’s too soft, the shapes will lose their definition. This recipe is formulated for the perfect texture, so be precise with your measurements!
4. Do Not Brown the Cookies! This is the most important secret to that classic, tender, melt-in-your-mouth spritz texture. Pull them from the oven the moment they are “set” but still pale. They will not be golden brown like a chocolate chip cookie.
5. One Click is All You Need. Most cookie presses work on a “click” system. One firm click of the trigger is usually the perfect amount of dough for one cookie. It may take one or two practice cookies to get the rhythm down.

Keep Them Fresh! Storing Your Buttery Bites

These cookies are a dream for making ahead and store wonderfully.

• Storing: Once any glaze or chocolate has completely set, you can store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They are very sturdy, making them great for shipping!
• Freezing: These cookies freeze beautifully, either decorated or undecorated. Place them in a freezer-safe container or bag, separated by layers of wax paper, for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature.

FAQs: Your Spritz Cookie Questions, Answered!

My dough is sticking inside the cookie press and won’t come out. What’s wrong?

This usually happens if the dough is too stiff. Double-check your measurements to ensure you didn’t accidentally add too much flour. Another cause can be air pockets in the press. After filling the barrel, press the trigger a few times until the dough is packed tightly against the disk before you start pressing cookies onto your sheet.

My cookies are losing their shape and spreading in the oven. Why?

This can happen if your butter was too soft (melty instead of just softened) or if your baking sheets are warm. Always start with cool baking sheets. If your kitchen is very warm, you can briefly chill the pressed cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking to help them hold their shape.

Can I color the dough?

Yes, absolutely! Spritz cookies are perfect for coloring. After your dough is fully mixed, you can divide it and knead in a few drops of gel food coloring to create festive green wreaths or red poinsettias.

I don’t have a cookie press. Can I still make these?

Unfortunately, this specific dough is formulated for a cookie press and is too soft to be rolled out like a traditional sugar cookie. However, you could try fitting a pastry bag with a large star tip and piping out small stars or rosettes. The texture will be the same and they will still be delicious!

Final Thoughts: A Timeless Holiday Tradition

There is something so wonderfully nostalgic and joyful about a tin filled with colorful, buttery Spritz Cookies. They are a celebration of tradition, a fun and easy project, and the perfect, delicate bite to share during the holiday season. I hope this recipe brings a little bit of that classic magic to your home. Happy pressing!