We have made this spritz cookie recipe every year during Christmas for as long as we can remember! These bite-size beauties are a hit with kids and adults alike, are beautiful, and are a favorite to hand out to neighbors.
These cookies always make it onto our holiday treat plates along with our Christmas Cookies, Christmas Crack Recipe and Christmas Sugar Cookies.
These spritz cookies also add a melt-in-your-mouth tasty touch to any party spread are more simple to make than you think.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- No-fuss. Mix everything in a bowl and the cookie press does the rest!
- Festive. Butter spritz cookies can be colored and shaped for any season or holiday. We’ve done wreaths and Christmas trees!
- Nostalgic. These pressed cookies instantly transport me to my childhood – we’ve made them for years!
Spritz Cookie Ingredients
- Butter, softened (1 cup): Gives rich flavor and that classic tender, melt in your mouth crumb. Soften the butter to get a creamy, fluffy texture.
- Sugar (½ cup): Sweetens and helps the edges set without browning too much.
- Egg (1): Binds the dough for clean pressing and a soft interior.
- Almond extract (½ teaspoon): Adds a delicate bakery note that pairs perfectly with sprinkles.
- Vanilla extract (½ teaspoon): Rounds out the flavor so each bite tastes warm and buttery. Vanilla and almond are traditional flavors, but you can experiment and use lemon, orange, peppermint, or rum extract.
- All-purpose flour (2¼ cups): Provides structure so shapes hold sharp details after baking.
- Salt (¼ teaspoon): Balances sweetness and sharpens the almond and vanilla.
- Gel food coloring: Tints the dough vibrant without changing texture. 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 festive crunch and pretty pops of color. Add different sprinkles, sparkling sugar, or finely chopped nuts before baking. Drizzle with glaze or melted chocolate after baking.
How to Make Spritz Cookies
PREP. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
BATTER. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract, and beat until smooth.
- Add 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.
COLOR. Add gel food coloring to the dough if desired.
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.
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.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Use an ungreased light colored sheet so the cookies grip as you press and bake evenly pale.
- Cookie Press Alternative: 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. If needed, use scissors to snip the dough off the piping bag.
- If dough seems soft, chill 10 to 15 minutes so it presses cleanly and holds detail.
- Press straight down, lift, and space 1 inch apart for even baking.
- Bake just until set with no browning on the edges to keep the crumb tender.
Spritz Cookie Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Decorating
- gel food coloring
- colorful sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Beat the butter and sugar 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.
Notes
- 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.
- Click the cookie press a couple of times to help the dough release easier.
- The dough does not spread much, so the piped shape will be the shape of the baked cookie. For this reason, when piping the dough, be sure that all segments are touching.
- 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, squeeze firmly, and, if needed, use scissors to snip off each cookie section.
- Dough. Make the dough ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze the dough in log form, or in already pressed shapes for up to 3 months. Allow the dough to come to room temperature before baking
- Baked. Keep in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Fridge. Make the dough ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Allow it to come to room temperature (30-40 minutes) before pressing and baking.
Freezer. Roll the dough into a log, wrap it with plastic and again with foil, then freeze – OR stamp out once frozen, place the shaped dough into a freezer-safe bag. The frozen dough can be kept for up to 3 months.
Allow the dough to thaw to room temperature before baking.
Spritz cookies store 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.
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This recipe was originally published December 2020.
Hi is the nutritional information you include based on 36 cookies? I’m primarily asking about the carb count. Is it 9g per cookie? Thank you! These are delish!!
Yes, the nutritional facts are per cookie.
To be honest, these were so brittle that it was ridiculous. So I will be looking for a other recipe.
Can u use a cookie cutter for these cookies u can email me back at [email protected]
I recommend using a cookie press, but if you don’t have one, you can 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. If needed, use scissors to snip the dough off the piping bag.
Great recipe. I made a ton of these and they came out great. Had a slight bit of trouble when I added food coloring with getting the cookies to stick to the pan. I ended up adding more flour to the dough and it worked itself out. Happy Holidays!
Thanks for sharing what you did! So glad you enjoyed the cookies!
This is the best recipe I have found so far for Spritz cookies. My family couldn’t get enough of them lol
These are very tasty and use less sugar than the recipe I normally use for Spritz cookies. Tip: do not use parchment paper for Spritz cookies. It won’t work well.
Oh, I really love how adorable these cookies are! A great addition to our holiday baking list!
I’m so happy that these cookies turned out great! I’m not a great baker (specially cookies) but these are easy. I got the perfect balance of sweetness, they are chewy and looked perfect. had fun with the coloring too.
These are our favorite cookie recipe this time of year!! Love how these turn out and everyone always raves about them!
I can’t wait to make these cookies for Christmas this year! They package up great for friends and family as well.
We make these cookies every year!! They are a classic… Best when warm from the oven but tasty any time!
Wonderfully delicious, worked perfectly in our Cookie Press. We made green trees and white with red sprinkles. The best on fail recipe.
keep e mail any of new add recipie
No baking powder????
hello for spritz or most cookies that use a cookie press you don’t put baking powder because that will cause the cookie to rise and it will lose the shape and design from the disc you pick.
They came out very bland. Sugar or some sprinkles on top would have help, but too late now.I have been making cookie press cookies for years. I’ll go back to my old recipe s
Have an older recipe that called for 3 egg yolks. Tried this one to save on eggs…not very impressed. I will be going back to my old recipe.
Family Favorite!!!!!
First time ever using a cookie press and it worked perfectly!
One of my fav Christmas cookies!! Festive, fun, and easy to keep on popping them in your mouth!!!!
What an easy recipe for such a intricate and pretty treat.
Hi Kristyn,
I don’t have a stand mixer or hand mixer so I cream butter and sugar (and just butter itself) using a hand whisk. However, whenever I do so all the butter gets stuck inside the whisk and it’s annoying, but I will never, ever get a stand mixer because they are so expensive and I don’t need it. So any tips on beating butter?
Sorry, I wish I knew. It is annoying, but I just scrape it off with a spatula.
These bring back so many childhood memories! I live this!
Love spritz cookies! So nostalgic!
So fun to make! Easy and fast.🎄💗🎄
Great recipe for a cookie we make every year!!
These are Christmas favorite. Love spritz cookies- they remind me of my childhood.
Sooo buttery and delicious!!
I was searching high and low for a Spritz cookies recipe that reminded me of my grandmother’s cookies and I couldn’t find one… until yours!! Yours was perfect! It tastes just like she made. Thank you so much for allowing me now to reminisce and make “her” cookies
Made these last year. So good!
A cute little cookie that’s made with a cookie press. Fun and festive!
Hello! How many cookies does this recipe make?
I’m wondering the same thing?
I could get close to 2 dozen 🙂
Love these cookies! They are so buttery and the sweetness is just right for my taste. I’ll surely be making more for giveaways this Christmas!
The perfect holiday recipe! Fun to make with the kiddos.
Such a fun & festive cookie! They remind me of those shortbread cookies in the tin. We love these!
Thanks! I’ve always had such trouble with Spritz cookies! This is great!
LOVE these cookies! I made a double batch because I hand out cookies to everyone at Christmas! Even my local Police Dept. Everyone looks forward to my deliveries this time of year! Thank you for posting it!!
You are so welcome! I am glad everyone can enjoy your treats! Thank you!
Is the flour, all purpose flour?
Yes 🙂 Enjoy!!
I have a question, what press would you recommend or do you happen to use?
Thank you!!
I got one from Amazon. I believe mine is Wilton brand, but any would work 🙂
Help! I have only salted butter. Do I need to make a change in the recipe?
That’s ok! I’d say hold off on adding the amount of salt called for and taste it first. Then just add the salt as needed to your liking. The salted butter may easily provide all the saltiness that you need.
This is a great recipe. Taste is wonderful and the dough sticks to the chilled pan just as it should. I did add scant 1/8 teaspoon of salt.
I will definitely use this recipe again.