Just Spritzen Some Spritz Cookies

Spritz cookies, or in German “Spritzgebäck”, are a buttery cookie made from butter, flour, sugar and eggs. Many people have a special recipe that they pass down from generation to generation. In English the German word “spritzen” means “to squirt”. This cookie is super easy to make with a spritz cookie press.  You put the dough into this gun like press that has a fitted pattern disk on the end. You squeeze the trigger and out pops your decorative cookie shape. When I told my mom that I wanted to try making spritz cookies, she excitedly volunteered to help me and loan out this recipe from her very first cookbook. I’m a big fan of making sugar cookies with my German grandmothers’ yummy recipe. However I sometimes get impatient when I have to roll them all out and frost them during the busy holiday season.  After making this super easy spritz cookie this year, I may have found a new favorite for Christmas!

Spritz Cookies

Makes 2-3 Dozen

2 ½ C Flour

½ t Salt
1 C Unsalted Butter, softened at room temperature
1¼ C Powdered Sugar
1 Egg
½ t Almond Extract
1 ½ t Vanilla
Food Coloring (optional)
Sprinkles, Red Hots, or Colored Sugars (optional)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Mix all of the ingredients together.  If your butter is still a little cold, beat it by itself first to soften. Add food coloring if you like.

Load up your spritz press and grease your cookie sheets.  Many presses have a device in them where all that you need to do is click once, pull up and then move onto the next. Sprinkle with sprinkles, Red Hots, or sugar. Bake for about 6-8 minutes.

You can also drizzle them with a thin glaze of icing. I made one batch with powdered sugar, butter, milk, and lime zest and it turned out really well.