Name: Spritz Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 9 min
Total time: 39 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon almond extract; 2 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled); 1/2 teaspoon salt; Gel food coloring; Sprinkles; Chocolate chips; Melted chocolate for drizzling

Jump to Recipe· 4.4 from 7 reviews

One of my absolute favorite holiday traditions is rolling out batches of my Spritz Cookies Recipe — these buttery, crisp little beauties that melt in your mouth with just the right amount of sweetness and that iconic festive shape. If you love classic cookies with a touch of flair, you’re in for a treat! Today, I want to share my very favorite version, complete with all the tips I’ve picked up over years of making them for family and friends. Grab your cookie press (or get creative if you don’t have one!), because this spritz cookies recipe is fan-freaking-tastic and super fun to make together.

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Why This Recipe Works

Perfect Butter Creaming: Beating the butter and sugar until smooth ensures a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture every time.
Almond and Vanilla Extract Combo: This duo adds a subtle but unforgettable flavor that really makes these cookies stand out.
Cold Baking Sheets Trick: Chilling your baking sheets before pressing dough helps the cookies keep their shape better – something I only learned after a few messy batches!
Flexible Decorating Options: Whether you prefer classic chocolate chips, colorful sprinkles, or a drizzle of melted chocolate, this recipe is ready for your personal touch.

Spritz Cookies, holiday cookies, buttery cookie recipes, cookie press cookies, festive cookie recipes - The image shows many small cookies in different shapes and colors spread over a white marbled surface. There are five main cookie shapes: light beige flower shapes with blue or red sugar sprinkles, green round wreath shapes with red, green, and white sprinkles, light beige flower shapes with a dark brown chocolate round center and dark brown chocolate drizzle lines, light beige rectangular shapes with blue sugar sprinkles, and light beige Christmas tree shapes decorated with red and green sprinkles. Each cookie has a soft, piped texture with visible ridges and details. The mix of green, beige, red, blue, and dark brown colors creates a festive and colorful look. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

Each ingredient in this spritz cookies recipe plays a specific role, coming together like a well-rehearsed band to create that classic buttery, crisp bite. Shopping for high-quality butter and pure extracts will make a noticeable difference here, trust me!

Spritz Cookies, holiday cookies, buttery cookie recipes, cookie press cookies, festive cookie recipes - Flat lay of a smooth pale yellow slab of unsalted butter, a small white ceramic bowl filled with fine white granulated sugar, a single large brown egg with an uncracked shell, a small white ceramic bowl holding clear vanilla extract, a small white ceramic bowl containing pale amber almond extract, a neat pile of white all-purpose flour, a small mound of fine white salt crystals in a white ceramic bowl, placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Unsalted Butter: Using unsalted lets you control the saltiness and ensures no weird preservatives interfere with the flavor; it’s best softened to room temperature so it creams well.
Granulated Sugar: It helps create the perfect crunch and sweetness; beating it well with butter aerates the dough for a lighter cookie.
Large Egg: Adds richness and structure, helping your cookies hold their shape beautifully.
Pure Vanilla Extract: The backbone of sweetness – always go for pure extract for the best natural flavor.
Almond Extract: This is my secret weapon! It adds a nutty, fragrant twist that takes these cookies from good to unforgettable. If you don’t have it, a touch more vanilla or peppermint extract works too.
All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure without making the cookies tough – spooning and leveling avoids packing too much flour and keeps the texture perfect.
Salt: A pinch balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
Optional Decorations (Gel Food Coloring, Sprinkles, Chocolate Chips, Melted Chocolate): These bring out the fun and festive vibes; gel coloring is best to avoid changing the dough consistency.

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Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Tweak to Your Taste

One of the things I love about this spritz cookies recipe is how easy it is to make your own. Whether you want to dial up the flavor or try something totally different, it’s a great base for experimenting.

Flavor Variations: I’ve swapped out almond extract for peppermint during Christmas, which gave the cookies a fresh, festive zing that everyone adored. Lemon or orange extracts also add a lovely brightness!
Food Coloring: I sometimes tint just a quarter of my dough with gel food coloring for a festive look—just a drop goes a long way without affecting the dough’s texture.
Decorations: You can add sprinkles, finely chopped nuts, or press a few mini chocolate chips into the dough before baking for extra fun and flavor.
Cookie Press Alternatives: If you don’t have a cookie press, try piping the dough with a pastry bag fitted with a star tip after adding 1-2 tablespoons of milk to thin the batter slightly. It’s a little different but just as tasty!

Step-by-Step: How I Make Spritz Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Prep Your Tools and Oven

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (177°C). This is a crucial step so the oven and baking sheets are nice and ready. I always line 2 or 3 baking sheets with silicone mats—they’re perfect because the dough sticks better to them than parchment. If you have room, pop your lined sheets in the fridge while the oven heats; the cold surface helps the dough hold its shape when you press out the cookies. It sounds like an odd trick, but trust me, it works wonders!

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar

In a large bowl with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat your softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy. The key here is to get it fluffy—this creates that delicate crumb in the cookies. If you’re unsure about creaming butter and sugar, there are some great tutorials online, but just keep mixing until it looks light and airy.

Step 3: Add Eggs and Extracts

Next, add your room temperature egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, then beat on high speed for about a minute until everything is fully combined. Make sure to scrape down the bowl sides and bottom with a spatula at this point, so everything mixes evenly. This ensures no stray pockets of flour or sugar, giving you perfectly consistent dough.

Step 4: Mix in Dry Ingredients

Turn your mixer to low speed and slowly add your all-purpose flour and salt. Once you’ve incorporated the flour, bump the speed up to high and beat until the dough comes together completely, about 20 seconds. Be careful not to overmix here – just until everything is combined. This keeps your cookies tender and avoids toughness.

Step 5: Press Dough onto Baking Sheets

Load your cookie press with some dough and follow the manufacturer’s directions to press the cookies onto your chilled baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Here’s a little trick I learned the hard way: if the dough gets too soft to handle, chill the trays with the shaped dough for 10 minutes before baking. This helps the shapes stay crisp and defined.

Before adding any sprinkles, a quick brush of water on the dough helps keep them stuck on perfectly. You can also press chocolate chips into the centers for an extra bit of chew and chocolatey goodness.

Step 6: Bake and Cool

Bake your cookies for 7 to 9 minutes, until they’re just barely golden at the edges. Keep a close eye on them – it’s best to pull them out a little underdone than too brown because they continue to cook on the hot baking sheet. Let them rest for 5 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. If you’re feeling fancy, drizzle some melted chocolate over the cooled cookies for a beautiful finishing touch.

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Pro Tips for Making Spritz Cookies Recipe

Chill Those Sheets: I swear by popping the lined baking sheets in the fridge before pressing dough; it makes a huge difference in how clean and sharp your cookie shapes turn out.
Don’t Overmix the Flour: Once you add flour, blend just until combined to keep cookies tender, not tough.
Keep Dough Cool: If your kitchen’s warm, your dough can get too soft quickly. Whenever this happens, give it a 10-minute chill before pressing the next batch.
Sprinkles Stick Better with Water: Brush on a tiny bit of water before sprinkling – this helps decorations stay put while baking.

How to Serve Spritz Cookies Recipe

Spritz Cookies, holiday cookies, buttery cookie recipes, cookie press cookies, festive cookie recipes - A white plate is filled with four rows of festive cookies arranged neatly. The first row on the left has light brown flower-shaped cookies decorated with chocolate stripes and a dark chocolate center. The next row has slightly darker light brown flower cookies sprinkled with red and green sugar, appearing rough textured. The third row consists of bright green flower cookies with red sugar sprinkles. The fourth row has light brown flower cookies with chocolate stripes and a chocolate center on top. Around the plate, there are more scattered light brown cookies sprinkled with red and green sugar. Two small white bowls with Christmas-themed sprinkles, one filled with red, green, and white tiny balls and the other with blue sugar, sit on the white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Garnishes

I love adding festive sprinkles or sanding sugar to my spritz cookies—especially around the holidays. Truth be told, I sometimes just press a few mini chocolate chips into the center and call it a day because they add such a delicious touch without any fuss. For a grown-up party, a drizzle of melted dark chocolate gives them a subtle richness that everyone swoons over.

Side Dishes

Spritz cookies pair beautifully with hot drinks like spiced tea, mulled cider, or a classic cup of coffee. For holiday gatherings, I often serve them alongside a tray of cheeses and nuts—the sweet crunch of the cookies contrasts wonderfully with savory bites.

Creative Ways to Present

When I want to impress, I arrange spritz cookies on a decorative platter layered with fresh pine boughs or holly during the holidays. You can also layer cookies between sheets of wax paper in a pretty tin for gifting—just add a bow, and you have a charming homemade present that everyone loves.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Spritz cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, which is perfect for holiday cookie trays. I always layer mine with parchment paper to keep them from sticking together.

Freezing

If I’m making a big batch early, I freeze unbaked dough pressed into shapes, placing the sheet in the freezer until firm, then transferring the shapes to a freezer bag. This way, I can pop fresh cookies in the oven anytime! Baked cookies freeze well too—just thaw them on the counter when you’re ready to enjoy.

Reheating

To refresh frozen baked spritz cookies, I warm them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for about 5 minutes. It brings back a little of that fresh-from-the-oven crispness without drying them out.

FAQs

Can I make spritz cookies without a cookie press?

Absolutely! No cookie press? No worries. You can use a pastry bag fitted with a star-shaped tip to pipe the dough directly onto baking sheets. Just add a little milk (1-2 tablespoons) to the dough to make it easier to pipe. It won’t be exactly the same, but the cookies will still be delicious and have a lovely texture.
Why should I chill my baking sheets before pressing the cookie dough?

Chilling the baking sheets makes the dough firm up as it hits the cold surface, helping the cookies keep their nice shapes instead of spreading or smudging out. It’s a small step that dramatically improves how your spritz cookies look fresh from the oven.
Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

You can try swapping the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free flour blend that’s suitable for baking. However, consistency might vary and the cookie shapes may be less defined, so I recommend doing a test batch first to see how it turns out.
What’s the best way to add color without affecting dough texture?

Use gel food coloring, and add it sparingly. A single tiny drop is usually enough to tint a quarter of the dough. Avoid liquid food coloring because it can make the dough too soft, which makes it harder to press and hold shapes.
How long do spritz cookies keep fresh?

Store them airtight at room temperature for up to one week, making sure to layer parchment paper between stacks to prevent sticking. For longer storage, they freeze beautifully for up to three months.

Final Thoughts

This spritz cookies recipe holds a special place in my heart because of all the smiles it’s brought to my kitchen over the years. Whether it’s a quiet afternoon baking with the kids or a bustling holiday party, these cookies come out perfectly buttery, crisp, and charmingly shaped every single time. I hope you enjoy making and sharing them as much as I do — honestly, once you take the first bite, you’ll understand why I keep coming back to this classic recipe year after year. So go ahead, get that cookie press out, bring on the sprinkles, and make some delicious memories!