Spritz Cookies Recipe
Spritz Cookies are buttery, tender, and delightfully spiced holiday treats made using a cookie press for classic, festive shapes. Infused with vanilla and almond extract and gently seasoned with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, these crisp-edged cookies are perfect for sharing or gifting during the holiday season.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Total Time: 23-25 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 36 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (Ensure it’s softened, not melted)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (Can substitute with maple or bourbon extract)
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (Omit if using salted butter)
For Decoration
- Colored sugar or sprinkles, to taste
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking the cookies. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or use ungreased baking sheets as specified.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is essential to incorporate air for a tender cookie texture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined, ensuring the flavor is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt to evenly distribute the spices and salt.
- Mix Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing to form a smooth and cohesive dough suitable for pressing.
- Shape Cookies: Fill a cookie press with the dough and press cookies onto ungreased baking sheets, placing them about 1 inch apart to allow for slight spreading.
- Decorate: Sprinkle colored sugar or sprinkles over each cookie to add festive color and texture before baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn golden brown, indicating they are perfectly crisp.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for several minutes to firm up, then transfer them onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Ensure butter is softened, not melted, for the best cookie texture.
- If using salted butter, omit the added salt in the dry ingredients.
- You can substitute almond extract with maple or bourbon extract for different flavor profiles.
- Spacing cookies about 1 inch apart prevents them from sticking together during baking.
- Use a cookie press for traditional spritz cookie shapes and consistent size.
- For crispier cookies, bake closer to 10 minutes; for softer edges, reduce baking time slightly.
Keywords: Spritz cookies, holiday cookies, butter cookies, cookie press cookies, spiced cookies, vanilla almond cookies
Find it online: https://ricoloranz.com/spritz-cookies-recipe/
