When my kid was in elementary school, they asked me to make these for their school cookie exchange because they love them so much. But the kids could only choose ONE cookie, and obviously none of them chose a single tiny spritz cookie. The next time I saw the teachers, they told me they took them home and they were delicious. I’m onto your game, teachers!
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Cookie Press
So you will need a cookie press for these cookies. If you’ve never used a cookie press before, they can be a little tricky to get the hang of. The first couple of cookies you make usually turn out a little funky, like the first pancake. The good thing is that you can scrape that cookie dough off your cookie sheets and use it again.
Because spritz cookies don’t spread much, you can press them pretty close to each other. I can usually fit about 3 dozen cookies on each cookie sheet.
You want your cookies to be able to stick to a surface while you are pressing them out. I suggest using silicone baking mats over parchment paper, as these stick better to mats. Don’t press them directly onto a cookie sheet.
Food Coloring
This recipe makes enough dough to make 90-100 ~1″ cookies. If you want to make different colors, you can take your dough, divide it into separate bowls, and dye your dough different colors. Just be careful not to overwork the dough too much, or your cookies will be tough.
Sprinkles and Decorations
You can decorate your cookies with sprinkles or sanding sugar before you bake them. If your sprinkles aren’t sticking, you can brush them with a light coating of egg wash or milk/cream.
Baking Time
I like my spritz cookies more crispy and crumbly, so I bake them until they are just starting to darken around the edges. If you prefer softer cookies, you can bake them for 5-8 minutes, just until they are set.
Spritz Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ⅔ cups white granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- food coloring
- sprinkles/sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside.
- Cream butter & sugar until fluffy and light.
- Add egg & extracts and mix until incorporated.
- Add dry to wet and mix until just combined.
- If you are adding in food coloring, separate dough into different bowls and mix in food coloring with rubber spatula.
- Insert dough into cookie press and follow directions for your cookie press. Cookies do not spread much, and can be placed close together.
- Decorate cookies with sprinkles or sanding sugar.
- Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes, until edges are just starting to darken.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet.
- Cookies will stay fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Line cookie sheets with silicone baking mats. You want your press cookies to be able to stick to something, and parchment paper tends to be too slick. But you also don’t want to press them directly onto a cookie sheet.
- This recipe makes a lot of cookies, so I split the dough into thirds, and dye ⅓ green, ⅓ red, and leave the last ⅓ uncolored. If you want to dye your entire batch of dough, add food coloring when you add eggs.
- Using a cookie press is always like making pancakes, your first couple are going to turn out a little funky. It takes a little practice to get your technique down. The good thing is that you can scrape that dough up and add it back into your press.
- If you want softer cookies, only bake them for 5-8 minutes. I like my spritz cookies crispy, like Danish butter cookies.
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