Simple Spritz Cookie Recipe: A Joy Of Cooking Classic
Spritz cookies dance onto holiday tables with delicate charm, enchanting taste buds with their buttery elegance.
These delightful pressed treats whisper stories of generations past, transforming simple ingredients into edible art.
German baking techniques lend these cookies their signature grace, where intricate shapes emerge from a special cookie press.
Each spritz cookie carries a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that speaks of culinary love and precision.
Butter weaves its magic through the soft dough, creating crisp edges and a center that melts like a sweet dream.
Decorative possibilities bloom with every batch, inviting bakers to unleash their creativity.
Let the sweet symphony of flavor and tradition begin!
Quick Recipe Overview
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Calories: 194 kcal
Servings: 48
Spritz Cookie Ingredient Guide
For Cookie Base Ingredients:
Butter: Select high-quality, unsalted butter at room temperature for smooth blending.
Sugar: Choose fine granulated sugar for even sweetness and delicate texture.
For Moisture and Flavor Enhancers:
Egg Yolks, Vanilla Extract: Opt for fresh, farm eggs and pure vanilla extract to ensure rich, authentic flavor.
For Structural Ingredients:
All-Purpose Flour, Salt: Select unbleached flour for better texture and use fine sea salt for balanced taste.
For Decorative Toppings:
Sprinkles, Colored Sugar Crystals, Candied Nuts, Maraschino Cherries: Choose vibrant, fresh toppings that complement the cookie's delicate profile and add visual appeal.
Tools You’ll Need for Spritz Success
Mixing Bowl: Large, sturdy bowl for combining ingredients smoothly.
Electric Mixer or Whisk: Essential for creaming butter and sugar to light, fluffy texture.
Spatula: Helps scrape sides of bowl and fold ingredients gently.
Cookie Press or Pastry Bag: Creates beautiful, consistent cookie shapes.
Decorative Plate Attachments: Adds intricate designs to cookies.
Baking Sheets: Chilled sheets ensure even cookie spreading and crisp edges.
Wire Cooling Rack: Allows cookies to cool evenly without getting soggy.
Measuring Cups and Spoons: Ensures precise ingredient measurements.
Oven: Preheated to 350°F for perfect golden-brown cookies.
How to Shape and Bake Spritz Cookies
Craft Irresistible Butter Cookies
Prepare Cookie Station Chill two baking sheets in the refrigerator and warm up the oven to 350°F. Get ready for a delightful baking adventure that will fill your kitchen with sweet aromas.
Create Creamy Foundation Whip softened butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes light, airy, and looks like fluffy clouds. The key is to blend until the texture is silky smooth.
Enhance Flavor Profile Gently fold in egg yolks and a splash of vanilla extract. Stir with love, ensuring every ingredient mingles perfectly to create a rich, luxurious base.
Build Cookie Dough Gradually introduce flour and a pinch of salt. Mix until the dough comes together, forming a beautiful, consistent texture that's ready to be transformed into delectable treats.
Shape Magical Cookies Choose your artistic method: use a cookie press with fancy attachments or pipe elegant designs onto the chilled baking sheets. Let your creativity shine through each unique cookie shape.
Add Festive Touches Sprinkle playful toppings like colorful sprinkles, crushed nuts, or sparkling sugar crystals. These final touches will make your cookies look as amazing as they taste.
Bake to Golden Perfection Slide the baking sheets into the oven and watch as your cookies transform. Bake until the edges turn a gorgeous golden brown, signaling they're ready to be devoured.
Enjoy Your Masterpiece Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let them rest. Once cooled, savor each buttery, melt-in-your-mouth bite of your homemade treasure.
Tips for Perfect Texture and Flavor
Customize Cookie Creativity: Experiment with different extract flavors like almond, lemon, or rum to transform the basic recipe into exciting new taste experiences.
Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare cookie dough up to 3 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, allowing for stress-free baking preparation.
Texture Transformation Tricks: Adjust flour quantity slightly for crispier or softer cookies – less flour creates a more delicate texture, while more flour produces a firmer bite.
Decorative Delights: Swap traditional toppings with unexpected garnishes like crushed pistachios, edible gold dust, or finely grated dark chocolate to elevate visual appeal and flavor complexity.
Plating and Presenting Spritz Cookies
Serve with Sweet Companions: Pair these delicate cookies with a steaming cup of Earl Grey tea or a rich espresso for a delightful afternoon treat.
Craft Elegant Dessert Displays: Arrange cookies on a vintage porcelain plate with a light dusting of powdered sugar, creating an instagram-worthy presentation that wows guests.
Create Gifting Magic: Package cookies in a clear cellophane bag tied with a silk ribbon, transforming them into a charming homemade gift perfect for holidays or special occasions.
Present with Complementary Touches: Garnish the cookie plate with fresh mint leaves or a small cluster of seasonal berries to add a pop of color and subtle freshness.
How to Keep Spritz Fresh and Festive
Maximize Cookie Freshness: Store delicate cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, keeping them crisp and delicious for up to 5 days.
Freeze for Future Enjoyment: Carefully layer cookies between parchment paper in a freezer-safe container, preserving their texture for up to 3 months.
Smart Separation Technique: Place wax paper between cookie layers to prevent sticking and maintain their beautiful shape during storage.
Moisture Management Magic: Add a slice of bread to the storage container to keep cookies soft and prevent them from becoming too dry or crisp.
Nostalgic spritz cookies from Germany offer sweet memories of holiday baking traditions. Buttery, delicate shapes create delightful moments you’ll savor with each crisp, tender bite.
Ingredients
Scale
1 cup (225 g / 8 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks (32 g), at room temperature
½ cup (100 g / 3.5 oz) granulated white sugar
2 cups (260 g / 9.2 oz) all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp (6 g) pure vanilla extract (optional)
¼ tsp (1 g) kosher salt
candied cherries
nuts
colored sprinkles
colored sugars
Instructions
Preparation: Chill baking sheets in refrigerator while preheating oven to 350°F (180°C), ensuring ideal cookie consistency and texture.
Creaming: Blend butter and sugar until light and airy, creating a smooth foundational mixture for delicate spritz cookies.
Binding: Integrate egg yolks and vanilla extract into butter-sugar blend, mixing until color and texture become completely uniform.
Dough Formation: Incorporate salt and flour, gently folding until dough reaches a cohesive and smooth consistency without overworking.
Shaping and Decorating: Use a cookie press with decorative plate or pastry bag with star/rose tip to precisely form cookies, embellishing with sprinkles, chopped nuts, glacé cherries, or colored sugar before baking.
Baking: Arrange cookies on chilled sheets with adequate spacing, then place in preheated oven and bake for 9-13 minutes until edges display a delicate golden-brown hue.
Cooling: Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes to stabilize, then transfer to wire rack for complete cooling, developing a crisp texture and enhancing flavor profile.
Notes
Chill Baking Sheets: Refrigerate sheets before baking to control cookie spread and maintain precise shape.
Avoid Overmixing: Stir flour gently to prevent tough, dense cookies and preserve delicate, tender texture.
Decorative Options: Use cookie press, pastry bag, or various tips to create intricate, professional-looking spritz cookies.
Temperature Watch: Monitor baking time closely; golden-brown edges signal perfect doneness without burning delicate cookies.
Classical & Contemporary Cooking Techniques, Global Cuisine Appreciation, Nutrition & Menu Engineering, Sustainable Cooking Practices, Farm-to-Table Cuisine
Education
Southwestern Oregon Community College
Program: Culinary Arts, Associate of Applied Science
Focus: Emphasis on mastering core culinary competencies, like safety and sanitation, hot, cold, and pastry techniques, while cultivating appreciation of global cuisines and developing operational skills in nutrition, menu design, costing, purchasing, and supervisory management.
Michael grew up in Oregon, where he learned early that food tastes better when it’s fresh, local, and made with care.
After earning his degree from the Southwestern Oregon Community College, he focused his career on teaching others how to cook with the seasons, reduce food waste, and reconnect with what’s on their plate.
Michael keeps his cooking simple, sustainable, and full of flavor. His favorite part of the process? Watching people realize how easy and satisfying it can be to cook a single great meal from scratch.
Michael Thompson
Founder & Culinary Director
Expertise
Classical & Contemporary Cooking Techniques, Global Cuisine Appreciation, Nutrition & Menu Engineering, Sustainable Cooking Practices, Farm-to-Table Cuisine
Education
Southwestern Oregon Community College
Michael grew up in Oregon, where he learned early that food tastes better when it’s fresh, local, and made with care.
After earning his degree from the Southwestern Oregon Community College, he focused his career on teaching others how to cook with the seasons, reduce food waste, and reconnect with what’s on their plate.
Michael keeps his cooking simple, sustainable, and full of flavor. His favorite part of the process? Watching people realize how easy and satisfying it can be to cook a single great meal from scratch.