Description
These spritz cookies are buttery, tender, and perfectly shaped with a cookie press. They have a delightful almond and vanilla flavor, easy to decorate with sprinkles or melted chocolate, making them ideal for festive occasions or everyday treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 and 1/3 cups (291g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional Decorations
- Gel food coloring
- Sprinkles
- Chocolate chips
- Melted chocolate for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2 or 3 large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or use nonstick baking sheets without liners. For best results, chill the lined baking sheets in the refrigerator or freezer while the oven preheats to help the dough adhere better.
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, then beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl sides and beat again as needed.
- Add Dry Ingredients: On low speed, beat in the all-purpose flour and salt. Increase to high speed and beat until the dough is fully combined.
- Press the Cookies: Fit your cookie press with a decorative plate according to the manufacturer's instructions. Fill the press with dough, hold it perpendicular to the chilled baking sheet, and press out cookies about 2 inches apart. If desired, lightly brush the dough with water and decorate with sprinkles or a chocolate chip. If dough softens too much, chill shaped cookies in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies until they are very lightly browned on the edges, about 9 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate: Once cooled, drizzle with melted chocolate if desired. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- You can chill the cookie dough for up to 4 days before pressing it through the cookie press or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before pressing.
- Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months; thaw before serving.
- If you don’t have a cookie press, you can use a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch open star tip and pipe the dough after adding a little milk to make it pipeable.
- Almond extract adds wonderful flavor but can be substituted with vanilla extract, peppermint extract, lemon extract, or a pinch of cinnamon.
- Use gel food coloring sparingly for tinting; 2 drops is sufficient for the whole batch.
- Chilling baking sheets before pressing cookies helps the dough stick better and keeps shapes crisp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 90 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
