Spritz cookies are hands-down one of my favorite holiday traditions! There’s something so magical about pressing that buttery dough through a cookie press and watching these beautiful little shapes appear. I still remember the first time I made them with my daughter Isabella she was absolutely mesmerized by how the dough transformed into perfect little trees and wreaths. Now it’s become our thing every December, and honestly, I can’t imagine the holidays without these delicate, buttery treats sitting on our cookie platter.
These classic spritz cookies are incredibly simple to make (trust me, if my kids can help, anyone can do this), and they’re perfect for holiday cookie exchanges, gift boxes, or just enjoying with a cup of hot cocoa by the fire. The combination of butter, vanilla, and a hint of almond extract creates the most incredible flavor that’s both rich and somehow light at the same time.
Plus, you can get super creative with colors and decorations something my three little helpers absolutely love doing. If you’re looking for more festive treats to add to your holiday baking lineup, check out my best butter cookies recipe for another crowd-pleaser!
Why You’ll Love This Spritz Cookies Recipe
- Simple ingredients: Just butter, sugar, flour, and a few other pantry staples you probably already have
- Fun for the whole family: Kids absolutely love using the cookie press and adding sprinkles
- Endlessly customizable: Change up colors, shapes, and decorations to match any holiday or occasion
- Make-ahead friendly: The dough can be prepared up to 4 days in advance or frozen for up to 3 months
- Classic buttery flavor: That perfect balance of sweet and rich with a hint of almond that makes these unforgettable
- Quick baking time: These babies are done in just 7-9 minutes
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Spritz Cookies
Unsalted butter (softened to room temperature): This is the star of the show! The butter creates that signature melt-in-your-mouth texture and rich flavor. Make sure it’s properly softened not melted, not cold, but soft enough that you can press your finger into it easily.
Granulated sugar: Provides sweetness and helps create the perfect texture. I’ve tried these with less sugar, and they just don’t have that same delicate crispness.
Large egg (at room temperature): Binds everything together and adds richness. Room temperature eggs incorporate much better into the dough.
Pure vanilla extract: Adds depth and warmth to the flavor profile.
Almond extract: This is what makes spritz cookies taste like spritz cookies! It adds such a wonderful, distinctive flavor. Don’t skip it unless you absolutely have to.
All-purpose flour (spooned and leveled): The base of your cookies. Spooning and leveling is important here too much flour and your cookies will be tough.
Salt: Just a touch to balance the sweetness and bring out all the other flavors.
Optional decorations: Gel food coloring, sprinkles, chocolate chips, and melted chocolate for drizzling make these cookies extra festive and fun!
How to Make the Best Spritz Cookies from Scratch
Prep your workspace: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or use nonstick sheets without any liner. Here’s a pro tip I learned the hard way do NOT use parchment paper! The dough won’t stick to it when you press it through the cookie press, and you’ll end up super frustrated (ask me how I know). If you have room in your fridge or freezer, pop those lined baking sheets in there to chill. Cold surfaces help the dough stick much better when it comes out of the press.
Mix the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until it’s smooth and fluffy. This step is so important for creating light, tender spritz cookies. Add your egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, then beat on high speed for another minute until everything’s well combined. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl!
Add the dry ingredients: Switch to low speed and beat in the flour and salt. Once it’s mostly incorporated, turn it up to high speed and beat until the dough is completely combined. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
Press those cookies: Now comes the fun part! Follow your cookie press manufacturer’s directions to fit it with whatever decorative plate you want (I love the Christmas tree and wreath shapes). Scoop some dough into the press, hold it perpendicular to your cold baking sheet, and press out cookies about 2 inches apart. If you’re adding sprinkles or chocolate chips, now’s the time! A little trick – lightly brush the shaped dough with water before adding sprinkles to help them stick better.
Chill if needed: If your dough starts getting too soft as you work (this happens to me when I’m taking my sweet time decorating), just pop the shaped cookies in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking.
Bake to perfection: Bake those beauties for 7-9 minutes, just until they’re very lightly browned on the edges. Don’t overbake them you want them to stay tender, not crispy!
Cool and decorate: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (I know waiting is hard), then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. If you want to drizzle them with melted chocolate, wait until they’re totally cool.
Storage and Keeping Your Spritz Cookies Fresh
Store your spritz cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, and they’ll stay fresh for up to a week. I like to layer them between sheets of wax paper to prevent them from sticking together, especially if I’ve decorated them with chocolate.
For longer storage, these cookies freeze beautifully! Place them in a freezer-safe container or bag, and they’ll keep for up to 3 months. Just let them thaw at room temperature before serving, and they’ll taste just as good as the day you baked them.
If you’re gifting these cookies (which I highly recommend everyone loves receiving homemade spritz cookies), pack them in pretty tins or boxes with parchment paper between layers.
Creative Variations for Your Spritz Cookies
Chocolate spritz cookies: Add 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to the dough along with the flour. You might need to add 1-2 tablespoons of milk to help the dough press through easily.
Lemon spritz cookies: Replace the almond extract with lemon extract and add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest to the dough. These are so refreshing and perfect for spring celebrations!
Peppermint spritz cookies: Swap the almond extract for peppermint extract and add crushed candy canes on top before baking. These taste like Christmas in cookie form.
Cinnamon sugar spritz cookies: Add 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the dough and sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar before baking.
Chocolate-dipped spritz cookies: Dip half of each cooled cookie in melted chocolate (dark, milk, or white) and let them set on wax paper. So elegant!
Rainbow spritz cookies: Divide the dough into portions and tint each one a different color with gel food coloring. Your cookie platter will look like a rainbow!
Spritz Cookies Faqs
Can I Make Spritz Cookie Dough Ahead of Time?
Yes! You can chill the dough for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months before baking. If you’re freezing it, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring it to room temperature before pressing it through the cookie press. I actually prefer making my dough the night before it saves so much time on busy baking days, and the flavors have more time to develop.
Why Won’t My Spritz Cookies Stick to the Baking Sheet?
This is the most common problem people have with spritz cookies! Make sure you’re not using parchment paper the dough just won’t adhere to it. Use either a silicone baking mat or an unlined nonstick baking sheet. Chilling your baking sheet before pressing out the cookies also helps tremendously. If you’re still having trouble, your dough might be too warm pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up a bit.
Can I Make Spritz Cookies Without a Cookie Press?
Absolutely! Use a piping bag fitted with a star tip to pipe the dough instead. You’ll want to add 1-2 tablespoons of milk to the dough to make it easier to pipe. Check out my Christmas pinwheel cookies for another fun piping technique!
Final Thoughts on Making Perfect Spritz Cookies
These classic spritz cookies have been bringing joy to families for generations, and now they can bring joy to yours too! There’s just something so special about the ritual of making them setting up the cookie press, choosing your favorite shapes, adding colorful sprinkles, and watching them bake to golden perfection.
What I love most about this recipe is how it brings everyone together. Henry usually handles mixing the dough (he claims he has the strongest arms for beating), Isabella loves choosing the shapes and colors, Emma is in charge of sprinkle distribution (which always ends up being generous), and Noah enjoys quality control testing. It’s chaotic and messy and absolutely perfect.
These buttery spritz cookies truly melt in your mouth, with that signature tender texture and delicate almond flavor that makes them unmistakably special. Whether you’re continuing a family tradition or starting a new one, I promise these cookies will become a staple in your holiday baking rotation.
So grab your cookie press, gather your loved ones, and get ready to make some memories (and some seriously delicious cookies)! Can’t wait to hear how yours turn out be sure to tag me on Instagram when you make them
More Holiday Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
Happy baking
Print
Buttery Homemade Spritz Cookies That Melt in Your Mouth
- Total Time: 29 minutes
- Yield: 48 cookies 1x
Description
Spritz cookies are hands-down one of my favorite holiday traditions! These classic spritz cookies are incredibly simple to make, and they’re perfect for holiday cookie exchanges, gift boxes, or just enjoying with a cup of hot cocoa by the fire. The combination of butter, vanilla, and a hint of almond extract creates the most incredible flavor that’s both rich and somehow light at the same time.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Optional: gel food coloring, sprinkles, chocolate chips, melted chocolate for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or use nonstick sheets without any liner. Do NOT use parchment paper. If you have room in your fridge or freezer, pop those lined baking sheets in there to chill.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until it’s smooth and fluffy. Add your egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, then beat on high speed for another minute until everything’s well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Switch to low speed and beat in the flour and salt. Once it’s mostly incorporated, turn it up to high speed and beat until the dough is completely combined. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
- Follow your cookie press manufacturer’s directions to fit it with whatever decorative plate you want. Scoop some dough into the press, hold it perpendicular to your cold baking sheet, and press out cookies about 2 inches apart. If you’re adding sprinkles or chocolate chips, lightly brush the shaped dough with water before adding sprinkles to help them stick better.
- If your dough starts getting too soft as you work, just pop the shaped cookies in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake for 7-9 minutes, just until they’re very lightly browned on the edges. Don’t overbake them.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. If you want to drizzle them with melted chocolate, wait until they’re totally cool.
Notes
Store your spritz cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Layer them between sheets of wax paper to prevent them from sticking together. For longer storage, these cookies freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Make-ahead tip: You can chill the dough for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months before baking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 65
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 25mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
