Madeline and I made old-fashioned holiday spritz butter cookies over Thanksgiving. We seemed to have the same idea. She brought home her new cookie press, and I had just ordered one! So, together, we made spritz cookies.
More festive holiday cookie ideas from a few friends following the recipe!
Classic spritz cookies use basic ingredients you probably have on hand: butter, flour, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and almond extract. If you do any baking, there’s a very good chance you have what you need on hand to make classic spritz cookies.
Special equipment you will need to make buttery spritz cookies:
- Spritz cookie press with discs to make different designs
- Stand electric mixer or hand mixer
- Baking sheet
- Wire rack (you will want to remove baked cookies to the cooling rack immediately to prevent them from getting too brown)
- Pan and heat-proof bowl for melted chocolate
A few things to know if this is your first time making Christmas spritz cookies
I grew up watching my mom or grandmother make these cookies for years, but not closely enough to understand how to use the cookie press. It seems Madeline and I made the same mistake. It’s not tricky, but follow the directions on the box before attempting to fill the press.
Make sure your butter and egg are at room temperature. This will ensure the spritz cookie dough is at the right temperature to fill the cookie press with soft dough—it can’t be too cold or too warm.
You won’t need parchment paper for these shortbread cookies. When pressing cookies, you will place the press directly onto the ungreased cookie sheet. You can try using a Silpat baking mat if you have one, but we found that aluminum cookie sheets that could be quickly cooled down under cold water or placed in the freezer for a minute worked best.
Bake cookies for 6 to 8 minutes, checking often to ensure they do not burn. We baked ours for precisely 6 minutes and then moved them to a cooling rack right away to prevent them from continuing to bake. These delicious cookies are best when only slightly browned on the bottom.
Does it matter what kind of press to buy?
Yes, not all cookie presses work the same. Ultimately, they do the same thing, but my $10 version did not work nearly as well as Madeline’s $33 OXO cookie press. If you think you’ll make these cookies every holiday season as a tradition, I would invest in a good one. You may even find a vintage one at Goodwill or a garage sale.
Ingredients to make a spritz cookie recipe
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract, peppermint extract, or even lemon extract
- Gel food coloring (if you decide to color your dough, a small amount of gel food coloring works best)
- Chocolate chips, chocolate bar, or white chocolate to dip cookies
- Christmas sprinkles and crushed candy canes
Old-fashioned holiday spritz butter cookies are the perfect festive cookie for a cookie exchange, to make up a cookie platter for a holiday party, or to give to friends and neighbors. They are a classic holiday cookie that everyone loves.
Make Old Fashioned Holiday Spritz Butter Cookies
The perfect festive cookie to make and share during the holidays.
Ingredients
- One cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- One egg at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- One teaspoon of vanilla extract
- One teaspoon of almond extract (or lemon or peppermint)
- Melted chocolate for dipping and sprinkles or crushed candy cane for decoration.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º
- Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat on high until mixed, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Slowly add the flour and salt. Then, beat on high until the dough is combined. (If using gel food coloring, add it and beat until combined).
- Fill the cookie press according to the instructions on the box.
- Hold the press straight, and press each cookie onto an ungreased baking sheet 2″ apart.
- Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until the edges turn slightly golden.
- Remove to a cooling rack immediately.
- Dip half of the cookie in melted chocolate and add sprinkles or crushed candy cane.
- Allow to cool completely before storing in an air-tight container.
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I used to have a Spritz cookie press that belonged to my mother (I’m 73 so it was really old, as am I now). Sadly I donated it years ago! Wish I still had now after seeing your post!! Brought back lots of sweet memories.
Really enjoy your blog.
Merry Christmas,
Helen
Oh Helen, I’ll bet it was a good one! I just missed out on getting my mom’s…she gave it to a grandchild, so it went to a good home! I’m going to be looking at tag sales and Goodwill stores until I find an old one!
It is even fun to collect the various disc shapes for the cookie press. I have about thirty discs from various presses over the years. Modern presses have some advantages. The discs can vary: scottie dogs, trees, stars, flowers, even clubs/hearts/spades/diamonds like from a deck of cards. I even think the discs would make a sweet garland for your kitchen around the holidays. Happy Holidays.
What a fun collection, and I love the idea to use them as garland in the kitchen! You could mix them in with dried orange slices!
It is even fun to collect the various disc shapes for the cookie press. I have about thirty discs from various presses over the years. Modern presses have some advantages. The discs can vary: scottie dogs, trees, stars, flowers, even clubs/hearts/spades/diamonds like from a deck of cards. I even think the discs would make a sweet garland for your kitchen around the holidays. Happy Holidays.
My granddaughters and I make Spritz cookies every year. When the my girls were little I had an electric cookie press but they don’t make them any more. I was helping a friend with her garage sale and after telling her about my electric cookie press, she goes into her house and brings out her electric cookie press and gives it to me!!! My granddaughters love using it!! It certainly makes Spritz cookie making a lot more fun and so easy!
Pat Demling
Pat! An electric cookie press?! I had no idea they made them! How wonderful that your friend gifted hers to you so you can continue the tradition with your granddaughters! I am going to be on the lookout for one this spring when garage and tag sales start up again! Merry Christmas Pat!
xo
Annie