Description
Delightfully crisp and buttery, these spritz cookies are a classic festive treat made with a smooth butter and sugar dough pressed into pretty shapes. Flavored with vanilla and almond extracts, they are quick to prepare and perfect for decorating with sprinkles or chocolate chips. Ideal for holiday gatherings or everyday snacking, these bite-size cookies stay fresh for a week and can be made ahead or frozen.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 and 1/3 cups (291g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional Decorations
- Gel food coloring
- Sprinkles
- Chocolate chips
- Melted chocolate for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and prepare 2 or 3 large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or nonstick baking sheets without parchment paper. Chill the lined baking sheets in the refrigerator or freezer if possible to help the dough stick better.
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for about 3 minutes until smooth. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, then beat on high speed for about 1 minute until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the flour and salt on low speed. Then increase to high speed and beat until the dough is completely combined and smooth.
- Press the Cookies: Fit your cookie press with a decorative plate according to the manufacturer's instructions. Fill the cookie press with the dough and press the cookies about 2 inches apart onto the cold lined baking sheets. Decorate the cookies with sprinkles or press a chocolate chip into the centers as desired. Lightly brush shaped dough with water to help sprinkles stick. If the dough softens too much, chill shaped dough for 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are very lightly browned on the edges, about 9 minutes.
- Cool and Decorate: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Optionally, drizzle with melted chocolate once cooled.
- Store: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- You can chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before pressing, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months; thaw before serving.
- Almond extract enhances flavor but can be replaced with half a teaspoon more vanilla extract or other extracts like peppermint or lemon. A pinch of ground cinnamon is also a nice addition.
- Use gel food coloring sparingly if tinting dough, about 1 to 2 drops for the entire batch.
- If you don’t have a cookie press, use a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch open star tip and thin the dough with a little milk to pipe shapes.
- Chilling baking sheets helps the dough adhere better and keeps the shape crisp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 90 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
