They're a Christmas classic for a reason.
Recipe by Sloane Layton
3.3
3 Ratings
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There's no shortage ofChristmas cookiesduring the holiday season! After cutout sugar cookies andgingerbread men, there's one recipethatisn'tcelebrated nearly enough at thethecookie swap: classic spritz cookies. Buttery and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, they're easily made cute with all kinds ofcookie decorating ideas. Plus, they can be made ahead and frozen before decorating for up to a month—a major bonus during the craze of the holidays. Invite children into the kitchen to decorate these bite-sized cookies with Christmas sprinkles for Santa.
What are spritz cookies?
Spritz cookies are crisp, sweet and buttery. They have similarities to both crispy sugar cookies and shortbread. The dough is not refrigerated, and rather than being rolled out and stamped with cookie cutters, it goes through a cookie press to create uniform, sometimes intricate, shapes.
What is the secret to making spritz cookies?
Beyond having a cookie press, there are a couple small steps you can take to ensure spritz cookie success.
- Start with room temperature ingredients:Making sure your butter is softened and egg is at room temperature. This will result in a better dough that's much easier to work with.
- Add almond extract.Subtle and not always easy to identify, it'll make everyone wonder,"What's in these cookies?!"
-Be patient:Using a cookie press can take some practice. If you stamp out cookies and don't like the way they look, scrape them off the tray and add them back to your bowl of dough to press with the next batch.
What is the difference between spritz and butter cookies?
These cookies are nearly identical, except for one ingredient: egg. Egg makes the Spritz cookie dough a bit easier to work with, but it also helps the cookies keep their shape when baked.
Should you use parchment paper when baking spritz cookies?
Absolutely! It's never a bad idea to line your baking sheets with parchment paper before baking cookies. It's a sure-fire way to keep cookies from sticking and it makes for easy cleanup.
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- Yields:
- 40 - 50 serving(s)
- Total Time:
- 1 hr 40 mins
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 c.
unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 c.
granulated sugar
- 1
large egg, at room temperature
- 2 tsp.
vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp.
almond extract
- 2 1/2 c.
all-purpose flour
For Decorating:
- 1/2 c.
semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
- 1/2 c.
white chocolate chips, melted
Sparkling sugar
Finely shredded coconut
Christmas sprinkles, such as red, white, and green nonpareils
Directions
- Step1 For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Step2In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, salt, and almond extract. Beat on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour, beating until just incorporated.
- Step3Form the dough into a log shape, about the same size as the cookie press tube.Using the press, stamp the cookie dough onto two baking sheets using the desired decorative templates. If the dough becomes too warm, chill it for 5 to 10 minutes and then continue stamping. If desired, sprinkle some of the cookies with Christmas sprinkles.
- Step4Bake the cookies until lightly golden, 9 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the cook time. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Step5For decorating: Place the semisweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips in 2 separate small microwavable bowls. Microwave on high for 1 to 1 ½ minutes, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted and smooth. Drizzle the melted chocolate on the cookies as you like, topping with sparkling sugar, finely shredded coconut, and Christmas sprinkles, if desired.
Recipe bySloane Layton
Sloane Layton is a trained chef, recipe developer and regular contributor to ThePioneerWoman.com. An avid bread baker and pastry connoisseur, when she’s not proofing sourdough, she enjoys traveling, and is always on the hunt for the flakiest croissant.
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