Create a new holiday tradition with this classic Spritz Cookies Recipe. These buttery cookies can be easily dressed up with sprinkles or different colors of dough!
I was provided with The Pampered Chef baking products to review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
I love this time of year — the traditions, the lights and decorations, the spirit of the season… the cookies. Not necessarily in the order. I love it even more now that I get to experience it with my kids and see this special time of year through their eyes.
Some of my favorite memories of Christmas time as a child were baking in the kitchen with my mom. She was always baking something; either for my dad to take with him to work or for our school parties. (Back when you could bring your own goodies, before all of the sugar regulations we have now!) My friends at school looked forward to her treats all year.
After my husband became a firefighter, my oldest daughter and I started a new tradition of baking cookies for the firefighters on shift in our neighborhood on Christmas Eve. We spend the day baking together and package them up to deliver on our way to church that evening. We make a new recipe every year, and I’ve already discovered the one we will make this year — this Spritz Cookies Recipe.
Why Are They Called Spritz Cookies?
Spritz cookies are actually a type of German Christmas cookie made of flour, butter, sugar and eggs called Spritzgeback. The word spritz originated from the German word, “spritzen,” which means “to squirt” in English. These Classic Spritz Cookies are made by literally squirting the dough through a cookie press.
What’s Needed for Spritz Cookies?
These Christmas spritz cookies come together with few ingredients:
Butter
Granulated sugar
Egg
Vanilla extract
All-purpose flour
Sprinkles (optional)
Gel food coloring (optional)
How to Make Spritz Cookies With a Press
This Spritz Cookies Recipe was SO easy to make using The Pampered Chef’s Spritz Cookie Press. I usually shy away from these types of cookies because I’ve always been disappointed with the cookie presses I’ve used in the past.
This cookie press rotates instead of the typical ratchet style, and it has a much wider barrel that lets you see exactly how much dough is left. It comes with 9 metal disks with different designs for cookies, and 1 disk to rice potatoes. It was so easy to fill, change out disks, and even easier to clean.
Here are the basic steps to making these butter spritz cookies:
Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the egg and vanilla.
Add the flour and mix just until combined.
Add the dough to the cookie press and press the dough onto a silicon baking mat.
Decorate cookies with sprinkles, if using.
Bake until done.
Can I Make Spritz Cookies Without a Press?
If you don’t have a cookie press to make these Classic Spritz Cookies, you can use a pastry bag instead! Just fill the pastry bag with the cookie dough and use a star tip to create a swirl design. Get creative — you really can’t go wrong. Just remember to keep an eye on them while baking as different sized cookies may take different amounts of time to bake.
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.
Helpful Hints and Tips for Perfect Spritz Cookies:
Do not chill the dough before using. The dough should be at room temperature so it can be piped through the press. If your cookies start to spread or your kitchen is warm, try chilling the pans in the refrigerator for a few minutes before piping the cookies on the pan.
No do not use parchment paper and do not grease the cookie sheet either. Spritz are butter cookies so they need something grippy to grip onto. And since there is so much butter in the recipe they come off the cookie sheet very easily.
*If your dough feels too stiff and like it would be difficult to press, add vanilla extract or water (a teaspoon at a time) until you achieve a soft, workable dough. *If your cookies are not sticking to the cookie sheet well, try refrigerating the pans for 10 to 15 minutes to chill them.
Pros: Cookie sheets are insulated to prevent the bottoms of the cookies from browning too much or too quickly and are ideal for when you're baking thin or delicate cookies, or treats should be lightly colored, such as spritz cookies and shortbread.
If the dough is sticking to the bottom of the press instead of adhering to the pan, it might be too soft. Place it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 minutes and try again. Butter is highly recommended when making Spritz cookie dough.
The ungreased cookie sheet must be cold for the dough to adhere. If the dough will not stick to the pan, try placing the cookie sheet in the freezer for a few minutes. Do not use parchment paper or a Silpat mat. The dough will not stick when pressed.
Measuring is key in baking. If your cookie contains excess sugar or fat, it will spread while baking. If your first batch of cookies spreads, try adding a few tablespoons of flour to help thicken the remaining dough.
Generally that floury taste can be attributed to several things. Too much flour, bad recipe, improper mixing or underbaking, but the most common culprit is too much flour. Too much flour is most usually caused by scooping with the measuring cup and is probably the most common kitchen mistake made today.
If it's too cold, it'll be hard to squeeze out of the pres. If it's too warm, it'll be too soft, and it won't hold its shape when baked. Holding your hand on the tube will warm the dough, so try to use just one hand on the trigger – place your other hand on the cookie sheet to keep it from moving.
There are a few things you can do if your cookie dough is too dry and crumbly. First, try adding more liquid to the dough. This could be milk, water, or even just additional eggs. If that doesn't work, you could also try melting some butter and adding it to the dough.
Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate and acidic salts. The reaction of these two ingredients results in a cookie that is soft and thick, but slightly harder.
Spritz cookies have one additional ingredient that shortbread cookies are missing: egg. Adding egg yolk to the dough makes it a bit easier to work with and helps the the cookies hold their cute shapes.
Butter cookies, also known as Danish butter cookies, are cookies originating in Denmark consisting of butter, flour, and sugar. They are similar to shortbread cookies. The butter cookie is often categorized as a "crisp cookie" due to its texture, caused in part by the quantity of butter and sugar.
Introduction: My name is Tyson Zemlak, I am a excited, light, sparkling, super, open, fair, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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