Spritz Cookies Recipe
A high ratio of butter to flour and no leavening keeps the dough soft enough to extrude cleanly through a cookie press while still holding crisp, defined edges once baked, and chilling the butter (not the dough) keeps it pliable enough to feed through the press without cracking.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 48
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons colored sugar or sprinkles (optional)
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 119
- Protein
- 2g
- Carbs
- 18g
- Fat
- 4g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
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Instructions
- 1Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Leave the baking sheets ungreased.
- 2In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
- 3Beat in the whole egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- 4In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt, then add to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed just until no dry streaks remain.
- 5Working in batches, pack the dough into a cookie press fitted with a disc of your choice. Press cookies directly onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing them about 1.5 inches apart.
- 6If using colored sugar or sprinkles, add them now, before baking; the dough won't hold toppings well once it's set.
- 7Bake one sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are just barely golden and the tops are set but still pale.
- 8Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips & variations
- Room-temperature butter that's still cool to the touch (not warm) presses most cleanly; if the dough starts sticking to the press or spreading before baking, chill it for 10 minutes.
- If the dough won't extrude and seems too stiff, work in a teaspoon of milk at a time until it feeds through smoothly.
- Skip the almond extract for a plain vanilla version, or replace both extracts with 2 teaspoons of lemon zest for a citrus variation.
- Dip cooled cookies halfway in melted chocolate and let set on parchment for a two-tone finish.
Storage & reheating
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks; they actually firm up and hold their shape better after a day. Layer with parchment if stacking decorated cookies. Unbaked dough can be refrigerated in the press-ready state for up to 3 days, or the baked cookies frozen in a rigid container for up to 3 months.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- A cookie press with a trigger or turn-crank handle gives more consistent pressure than a plunger-style press, which matters most for keeping cookie sizes even across a full batch.
- Baking sheets should be completely cool between batches; dough pressed onto a warm sheet starts to soften and spread before it even reaches the oven.
FAQ
Why won't my dough come out of the cookie press?
The dough is usually too cold or too stiff. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, or work in a teaspoon of milk to loosen it slightly.
Do spritz cookies need to be refrigerated before baking?
No, unlike rolled sugar cookies, this dough is meant to be soft enough to press while just barely chilled or at room temperature; refrigerating it firm makes it too stiff to extrude cleanly.
Why did my cookies lose their shape in the oven?
This almost always means the butter was too warm or the dough had leavening added; keep butter cool but pliable and don't substitute self-rising flour.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. Refrigerate it tightly wrapped for up to 3 days, then let it soften at room temperature until pliable before pressing.