Description
These classic Spritz Cookies are buttery, tender, and delightfully crisp around the edges. Made with all-purpose flour, butter, sugar, and almond or vanilla extract, they’re pressed into intricate shapes using a cookie press and decorated with colored sugar or candies for a festive touch. Perfect for holiday baking or anytime you crave a sweet, decorative treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla extract)
Decoration
- Colored sugar or candies for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Optionally, line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment at medium speed or an electric hand mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and extract: Add the egg and almond extract (or vanilla extract) to the butter-sugar mixture and beat well until fully incorporated.
- Combine dry and wet: Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined to form the cookie dough. Avoid overmixing to maintain tenderness.
- Form cookies: Fill a cookie press with the dough following the manufacturer’s instructions. Press shaped cookies directly onto ungreased baking sheets. If the dough becomes too sticky or hard to pipe, refrigerate it for 10 minutes. Imperfect piped shapes can be scraped off and re-piped.
- Decorate: Sprinkle the formed cookies with colored sugar or decorate with candies as desired for a festive appearance.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the cookies are set.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
- This recipe uses butter instead of shortening, resulting in a richer, more flavorful cookie.
- If dough gets too sticky while pressing, refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm it up.
- Use almond extract for a traditional flavor or vanilla extract as an alternative.
- Decorate cookies with colored sugar or small candies to personalize for any occasion.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 58
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 10 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 3 mg
