We make spritz cookies all. the. time. If there’s a holiday, there’s a cookie press disk for it, trust. Christmas cookies in our house are typically sugar cookies and spritz cookies, butterscotch cookies my sister-in-law makes, and those crunchy almond powder sugar covered snowball cookies. My mom made these growing up all the time, and so did my granny, so they’re engrained in my soul. The girls and I go to my best friend/sister-from-another-mister’s house (hey Desiree!)each December and bake cookies with her daughter, where we make these. AnnualCookie Bakeis one of my most favorite things about Christmas. The girls love it, welove hanging out, and everyone leaves with 45 dozen cookies, exhausted, and full of wine, cookies, and memories.
These little cuties have so many variations on how you can make them, by adding different extracts like lemon, orange, peppermint, almond, vanilla, berries, cinnamon… the list goes on. By nature, spritz cookies aren’t too sweet, which makes them perfect for decorating with sanding sugar or glazing them.
I have been using a secret ingredient, and a crucial tip to get the best spritz cookies ever.
Let’s get to making this spritz cookies…
First, you’ll want to preheat your oven to 375 F.
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Then put your cookie sheets in the freezer. That’s the secret tip.This is so the cookies will stick easier to the cookie sheetsas you squeeze them out of the press. My favorite cookie sheets are actually jelly roll pans. Also, my freezer is so unorganized. Shh.
In your mixer bowl, you’ll add your sugar and softened butter. I love this lil’ old Kitchen Aid mixer, it’s such a workhorse!
Cream these two delicious things together, I usually let mine go for 2-3 minutes. It shall look light and fluffy when it’s ready.
As you’re creaming your butter and sugar, go ahead and measure out your flour and baking powder.
Can I address how cute and weathered my Pioneer Woman measuring spoons are!?
Sift.
I lovesifting flour. Something about a cuteflour sifterand the sound it makes, fills me with such joy! Strange, I know.
Assemble your wet ingredients, and be sure to use something cute to hold them in! I use the heck out of myPioneer Woman measuring cups and pitcher.
Actually, I use ALL my Pioneer Woman goodies constantly… these are my absolute faves:
Get ready… this is where the secret ingredient comes in.
Vanilla bean paste (Amazon has thekind I used and it’sa better deal than in the market). VANILLA BEANS, Y’ALL. I used vanilla extract, aaaaaaaaaaand vanilla bean paste. Such a lovely depth of flavor – use it in all the things.
Add the wet ingredients, to the butter and sugar in the mixer, and mix them up.
Then, you’ll add the drymixture right in. Just dump it. Very unorthodox, but that’s how I do.
At this point, I will openly admit that my kids and I tasted the dough, and it was fantastic.
A word of caution…do not put this dough in the fridge. It’s not sugar cookie dough, and it will definitely break your cookie press if it’s too hard. Ask me how I know that. If it’s getting too warm, and the butter in the dough is making it a little melty, you can put it in the fridge, but make sure it’s room temp before you move on.
Grab your cookie press, open the end, pull the plunger back, and fill it up. My cookie press is the most basic Wilton press, and it’s my absolute favorite press I’ve ever used. Seriously.
Add the shape disc, grooved side facing in, and put the end back on.
Out of one full cookie press, you’ll get a full cookie sheet of spritz cookies. They don’t spread, so you can pack them in.
Pull your cookie trays out, and get squeezing! I typically do one click for each cookie. Except the wreath shape, I do two. Once you’ve got them pressed, decorate them with all your favorite things! If you want to glaze, do it after you bake ’em.
I know most recipes in baking are done at 350, but I do these at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Halfway through the 8 minutes, I will rotate my trays, then finish the timer. Let them sit on the cookie tray for a minute or two, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
If you want to glaze them, go for it. My kids like to use the cookie icing or sanding sugars, they really just inhale them off the cooling rack.
Tritz Spritz Cookie Recipe:
Tritz Spritz Cookie Recipe
The best spritz cookie recipe, perfect to double, and bake for all holidays!
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 whole egg (beaten)
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp vanilla bean paste (adjust to taste)
Preheat oven to 375F.
Place cookie sheets in freezer.
In medium bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
In stand-mixer bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy (about 2 minutes).
Add the egg, milk, vanilla, vanilla bean paste and mix again until fully combined (about 2 minutes).
Add the flour mixture, and mix well. Take out your cookie sheets from the freezer.
Fill your cookie press, add the desired disc, press your cookies (1-2 clicks per cookie) close together, then decorate.
Bake the cookies about 8 minutes, rotating your trays halfway through the baking time (4 minutes). Let the cookies sit on the tray for a minute or two, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
If you choose to double this recipe:
- Continue with1 egg (do not use 2)
- Adjust your vanilla bean paste to 1 1/2 Tablespoons, unless you like that kind of thing.
Wash your cookie sheet, and re-cool in the freezer between each batch for easier pressing.
I have so many memories with spritz cookies, and I am pretty sure my kids will have the same. What are your favorite memories with Christmas baking? Let me know below, lovies!!
Farmhouse Made
