Holiday Spritz Cookies are simple butter cookies that are made using a cookie press for the holiday season. This will allow you to make a variety of shaped cookies just by changing the discs on the press. The cookies have intricate shapes, look professional and you can make large quantities of fun shapes relatively fast.
You can buy cookie presses for as little as $10- $12 dollars many places so check online for your best option. I have found the best cookie press to be the Wilton cookie press.
The cookie dough for these classic holiday spritz cookies contains butter, eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla and a pinch of salt. It does not need to be refrigerated before using it.
You can make your your cookies plain or sprinkle them with sprinkles, sugars or nonpareils for some added color. You can also add chocolate chips or color the dough with gel food coloring. This spritz cookies recipe is easy to make and very flexible.Have some fun decorating these cookies.
Cookie Cutter Cookies which is a cutout sugar cookie and Gingerbread Cookies are two other classic holiday cookie recipes that you can use your imagination decorating and cut into various designs. Ginger Crinkle Cookies are another holiday favorite to make for the Christmas Season.
You might also like Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies, Lemon Snowdrop Cookies, Cranberry Orange Kitchen Sink Cookies and Chocolate Glazed Peanut Butter Cookies which are coated with melted chocolate.
Happy Holidays!
SOME THINGS TO KNOW:FAQ’S
INGREDIENT TIPS:
- Your butter should be at room temperature. Softened butter makes it easier to cream with the sugar and ensures a smooth dough. Read about How to Soften Butter Quickly.
- Use large eggs as specified. The size of the eggs can affect the moisture content of your dough, which in turn impacts the texture of your cookies.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- Cookie Press: The most essential tool for making Spritz cookies. Cookie presses come with various discs for different kinds of shapes. Choose one that’s easy to fill and operate.
- Baking Sheets: Preferably flat, without edges, to easily press the cookies onto. Line the sheets with parchment paper for an easy clean up.
- Electric Mixer: A stand mixer or an electric hand mixer will make creaming the butter and sugar together much easier and more efficient.
- Mixing Bowl: You will need a large mixing bowl for preparing the dough.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: For accurately measuring ingredients like flour, sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Spatula: To scrape down the sides of the bowl while mixing the ingredients.
- Cooling Rack: For cooling the cookies after baking.
- Decorative Elements (Optional): Sprinkles, colored sugar, edible glitter or royal icing for decorating the cookies before baking.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Margarine can be used in place of the butter but it might alter the flavor and texture slightly.
- Vanilla extract can be replaced with almond extract for a nutty flavor.
- For a healthier option, the all purpose flour can be substituted with whole wheat flour. This will make the cookies denser and heavier.
HOW TO STORE HOLIDAY SPRTIZ COOKIES:
- Properly stored, spritz cookies can last for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.
- Make sure the cookies are completely cooled to room temperature before storing them. Warm cookies can create condensation in the container, making them soggy.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container. This keeps them crisp and prevents them from absorbing odors or moisture from the air. If you are stacking the cookies, place a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper between the layers to prevent them from sticking together.
HOW TO FREEZE HOLIDAY SPRTIZ COOKIES:
- Holiday spritz cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- As with storing, make sure that the cookies are completely cooled before freezing. Transfer the cookies to an airtight container or a freezer-safe ziplock bag. If stacking, separate the layers with parchment paper or wax paper.
- To thaw the cookies, remove the desired number of cookies from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes. They thaw quickly due to their small size.
Using an electric mixer, cream butter until it is fluffy. Add the sugar and mix together well.
Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract.
Add the flour, one cup at a time, and thoroughly mix it in before adding the next one.Add the salt and mix it in.
Add the disc you want to the cookie press and fill the tube with spritz cookie dough.
Follow the directions of your cookie press to press your holiday spritz cookies onto the baking sheet.
Holiday Spritz Cookies
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Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees
These cookies are baked on un greased cookie sheets. There is plenty of butter in them so they will not stick.
Using an electric mixer, cream butter until it is fluffy. You can also do this in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Add the sugar and mix together well.
Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition.
Add the vanilla extract.
Add the flour, one cup at a time, and thoroughly mix it in before adding the next one.
Add the salt and mix it in.
Add the disc you want to the cookie press and fill the tube with spritz cookie dough. Follow the directions of your cookie press to press your cookies onto the baking sheet. One tube of dough will create about one baking sheet of cookies.
These cookies do not spread at all during baking so you can place them 1 inch apart on the sheets.
If you are adding chocolate chips, colored sugars, sprinkles or nonpareils to decorate the cookies do this before you put them into the oven. Try to shake any extra sugars or sprinkles off the baking sheet before it goes into the oven.
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges of the cookies just begin to turn brown. Turn the cookie sheet halfway through to ensure even baking.
Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes.
Use a metal spatula to remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.
If you use chocolate chips on the cookies, keep them on the wire rack for 12 hours before you put them into a cookie tin or container. The chips need to become completely hardened or they will smear.
