Description
A classic Spritz Cookies recipe featuring a buttery, tender dough pressed into festive shapes and baked to golden perfection. This version uses real butter for a rich flavor and is perfect for holiday decorating with colored sugar or candies.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks, softened)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla extract)
Decorations
- Colored sugar or candies, for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Optionally, line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together at medium speed until creamy and light.
- Add Egg and Extract: Beat in the egg and almond (or vanilla) extract until well combined.
- Combine with Dry Ingredients: Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing.
- Prepare Cookie Press: Fill your cookie press with the dough according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If the dough becomes too sticky, refrigerate it for 10 minutes to firm up.
- Shape Cookies: Press the dough directly onto ungreased baking sheets in desired shapes. If the piped dough looks uneven or messy, scrape it off and re-pipe.
- Decorate: Sprinkle the cookies with colored sugar or decorate with candies as you wish to add a festive touch.
- Bake: Bake cookies in the preheated oven until the edges are lightly golden and set, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
- This recipe uses butter instead of shortening for a richer flavor and better texture.
- If dough is too soft to pipe cleanly, chilling it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes helps.
- Almond extract can be substituted with vanilla extract if preferred.
- For a festive look, decorate with colored sugars or small candies before baking.
- Use parchment paper or non-stick baking sheets for easier cookie removal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 58 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 10 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 3 mg
