Classic Buttery Spritz Cookies Recipe
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Classic Buttery Spritz Cookies are easy and delicious to make in shapes with a cookie press, but can be made without a press too! Favorite holiday cookies that are perfect for decorating and sharing!
Looking for more festive treats? You’ll love homemade candies like Peppermint Bark and Peanut Brittle, as well as easy Fudge and snowy white Wedding Cookies (also known as Pecan Sandies or Snowball Cookies)!
Classic Buttery Spritz Cookies are such festive and delicious cookies! This spritz cookies recipe makes cookies that are buttery, so easy to make and hold their shape well. While they taste similar to sugar cookies, they differ from cut out sugar cookies, which are rolled and cut into shapes with cookie cutters, in that they are typically piped through a cookie press. My Chewy Sugar Cookies are made without cutting into shapes and I share how to make my spritz cookies even if you don’t have a cookie press.
One favorite thing about these cookies is decorating them! I like to decorate mine with a simple glaze and sprinkles. They make for a favorite cookie throughout the year, but especially during Christmas on a Christmas Cookie Tray! I can’t wait for you to try them!
Classic Buttery Spritz Cookies
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Flavor. The delicious rich butter flavor topped with a simple glaze gives these little cookies so much flavor.
Easy to Make. The dough mixes in one bowl and requires no chilling. Cookies are easy to make with a cookie press or without. Simple to decorate if you wish!
Perfect for Gifting. These spritz cookies hold their shape well so they are perfect for shipping to friends and family.
How to Make Spritz Cookies
The spritz cookie dough comes together very quickly, is so easy to use, and holds its shape well for sending to others.
Spritz Cookie Dough Ingredients
For this cookie recipe, you’ll need these simple ingredients: butter, egg, confectioner’s sugar, salt, vanilla, almond extract, and all-purpose flour.
I recommend that the butter be softened and the egg at room temperature for better mixing with the sugar and flour.
I include both vanilla and almond extracts in this recipe, but if you don’t have almond extract or don’t care for the almond flavor, you can certainly use all vanilla in the recipe.
Make the Spritz Cookie Dough
- Cream the softened butter and confectioner’s sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Add in egg, salt, and both extracts.
- Gradually add the flour into the butter mixture until combined, taking care not to over-mix the dough.
Make the Cookies
Now you will proceed with a cookie press if using or shape the dough if not using a press.
Make with a Cookie Press:
Traditionally made with a cookie press, you can make spritz cookies in any shape available with the model you are using. I love how easy my cookie press is to use.
- Load the dough into your cookie press following its directions.
- Press cookies onto a rimmed baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 – 2 inches between each cookie. The dough is rather dense and not airy, so there is little spread, but space should be given between each cookie.
Make Without a Cookie Press:
While spritz cookies are traditionally made using a cookie press, you can easily make them without one.
- Scoop dough by the teaspoon and roll it into a ball. Place rolls of cookie dough onto a rimmed baking sheet.
- Gently press your thumb into the center for thumbprints or with your palm or the bottom of a glass to flatten. Alternately, you may lightly dust the counter with confectioner’s sugar and cut cookies with small cookie cutters.
Bake the Spritz Cookies
Bake the cookies in a preheated oven set at 375 degrees for about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven just before they turn golden brown.
Now you can decide how you’d like to decorate the cookies. They can be dusted with colored sprinkles or powdered sugar, drizzled with melted chocolate, or glazed. The glaze for these is simple to make and so delicious.
Here’s how I make it.
How to Glaze the Spritz Cookies
Spritz Cookie Glaze Ingredients
For this simple cookie glaze, you’ll need confectioner’s sugar and milk or half and half. You can top with sugar sprinkles if you want.
Make the Glaze
- To glaze the cookies, arrange a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
- Whisk together the confectioner’s sugar and milk or half and half in a small bowl until well combined.
Glaze the Spritz Cookies
- After the cookies have cooled, dip each cookie into the glaze and return to the wire rack.
- Sprinkle with sugar sprinkles and allow them to dry completely.
While they are amazing without any adornment, they look even more festive with a few sugar sprinkles. I often simply sprinkle mine with colored sugar sprinkles, but I love to use the cookie glaze topped with sprinkles to make them even more special!
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
This spritz cookie dough does not require chilling before making the cookies. (Chilled dough is harder to press through the cookie press.) But you can make the dough ahead and freeze the cookies as well. These cookies freeze well and taste just as delicious after freezing! You can either freeze cookies after they are baked (plain or glazed) or before baking.
To make ahead the spritz cookie dough – Make the dough as instructed and wrap it well before refrigerating. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When ready to press the dough to make cookies, remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to reach room temperature, then follow the instructions.
To freeze unbaked cookies – Place pressed or formed spritz cookies onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and place into the freezer until the unbaked cookies are firmly frozen, or about 30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container layering the unbaked frozen cookies between parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw completely in the refrigerator. Then follow the instructions for baking and glazing the cookies.
To freeze baked cookies before glazing – Allow the baked spritz cookies to cool completely. Place cookies on parchment paper baking sheet and place in the freezer until firmly frozen, or about 30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container layering between parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, allow the cookies to thaw in the refrigerator. Then follow the instructions for the Spritz Cookie Glaze.
To freeze baked cookies after glazing – Allow the glaze and any other decorations on the cookies to dry completely. Place the cookies on a rimmed baking sheet, cover them in foil or plastic freezer wrap, and place them in the freezer. After the cookies are frozen, or about 30 minutes, remove them from the baking sheet and place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator. Serve once the cookies are completely thawed.
Perfect for Gifting
These are great gifts for friends, family, and neighbors, especially during the holidays! They hold their shape well, so they are perfect for shipping or packaging in a gift basket.
A nice cookie tray filled with cookies and homemade candy makes a thoughtful and much-appreciated gift. Get a head start on all your holiday baking with my Make-Ahead Favorite Christmas Cookies so that you can be a bit more relaxed during the holidays.
Here’s my Classic Buttery Spritz Cookies recipe. I hope you love them as much as we do!
Classic Buttery Spritz Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Hand Mixer OR Stand Mixer
Ingredients
Buttery Spritz Cookies
- 1 cup (226 g) butter, softened
- 1 (50 g) egg
- 1 1/4 cups (141.9 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (1.3 g) Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 g) vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
Spritz Cookies Glaze
- 1 cup (113.5 g) confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon (14.2 g) milk or half and half
- sugar sprinkles, for decoration
Instructions
Buttery Spritz Cookies
- Preheat oven to 375ยบ F.
- Mix together butter and confectioner’s sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add in egg, salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Gradually incorporate flour until well combined, taking care not to over mix.
- Place in a cookie press fitted with your choice of disc. Press cookies through cookie press onto baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 – 2 inches between each cookie. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes and then remove from the oven to cool completely.
Spritz Cookies Glaze
- Arrange a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Whisk together confectioner’s sugar and milk until well combined and smooth in a small bowl. Once cookies are cooled, dip each cookie into the glaze and place on the wire rack. Sprinkle with sugar sprinkles as desired and allow to dry completely.
Notes
To Freeze Unbaked Cookies:
Place the cookies on the baking sheet, cover in foil or plastic freezer wrap and place in the freezer. Once the cookies are frozen solid, about 30 minutes, remove from the freezer, and place in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, follow the instructions for baking and glazing the cookies.ยFreeze the Baked Cookies:
Freeze Before Glazing Cookies: Cool the baked cookies completely, cover the cookies on the baking sheet with foil or plastic freezer wrap, and place in the freezer.ย Once the cookies have frozen solid, about 30 minutes, remove from the baking sheet and place in an airtight, freezer-safe container.ย Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw in the refrigerator. Place on wire rack and follow directions for the Spritz Cookie Glaze.ย Freeze After Glazing Cookies:ย ย Allow the glaze on the cookies to dry completely, place the cookies on a rimmed baking sheet, cover in foil or plastic freezer wrap, and freeze. After the cookies are frozen solid in about 30 minutes, remove from the baking sheet and place in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.ย When ready to use, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw in the refrigerator. Serve once the cookies are completely thawed.ย ย ยNutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Hi Robyn,
Can this dough be made the night before ? If so, would it need to be brought to room temperature before using the cookie press and baking? I’ve seen some Spritz recipes that require refrigeration and some that don’t.
Thank you!
hi! Just a quick question, I’m making these right now and am just wondering, is the flour sifted, or no?
Hi Heidi,
Yes, I always sift my flour when I decant from the package to my canister. I hope you enjoy the cookies! xo
Hello! Can i make the dough a couple of days ahead? I’m planning on having the kids do cookies on Christmas day but would rather have the dough ready when they come.
Thanks!
Thanks for the update. I made these today and they were perfect! My family loved these so I will be making more of these during the holidays.
These taste amazing! I’ve never made spritz cookies before – i don’t have a cookie press. So I opted to do drop cookies and flattened them. I did run into one problem, my dough didn’t come together, it was very crumbly and only came together when I worked the dough with my hand. I was able to form a ball that was still slightly dry. Is that how it’s suppose to be or did I go wrong somewhere?
Hi Julie,
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I’m so sorry the dough didn’t come together well for you! I hate that! I’ve updated the recipe to include an egg which should prevent that from happening. xo
First of all, these taste great! Unfortunately, the dough was very dry (I weighed both my flour and my powdered sugar) and didn’t work in my cookie press. I ended up rolling out the dough and making cut-outs.
These remind me of shortbread cookies, given the texture and the fact that there is no egg in the recipe. Yummy, just a little frustrating to put together!
Hi Jocelyn,
I bet they were adorable as cut outs (and delicious!!!). My original recipe I shared did not include an egg. My mother is sensitive to eggs and this was her version excluding them. I’ve updated the recipe to include an egg which should prevent this issue you had.
This is my first attempt at sprintz cookies and the press…I’ve just taken the dough out of the press and sliced it into cookies for this reason! Wonder if it’s me, my press or the dough…?
Hi Katie,
I hope they tasted fabulous! I hate that it didn’t come together easily for you! I’ve updated the recipe to include an egg, which should make it much easier for you (and your cookie press!). xo
Hello. Just was wondering if you use salted or unsalted butter? Thanks!
Hi Joan,
Most professional bakers recommend using unsalted butter to better control the amount of salt in a recipe. I generally just keep salted butter on hand and use it in my baking. ๐
I Like your web site, very inviting. going to make the spritz cookies, as I Love buttery Melt in your mouth cookies. Also hat type of paper is best for the Name Tags ? I have never printed out things before so I would like to try. Thank You
Thanks so much, Linda. I hope you enjoy the cookies. For the gift tags, I usually print them on card stock so that they have a little bit heavier weight to them. Enjoy! xo
My dough came out too dry, what went wrong, please help
Hi Maria,
It could be the differences in brands used or that you had just a touch more flour or confectioner’s sugar in your mixture. I would add about a teaspoon of cream or butter to your dough to soften it. I hope that helps!
I made these cookies and they are melt in your mouth but, they got very flat and lost shape. I tried cooling the cookie sheet and dough for the second batch but still flattened out of shape. Was there a leavening agent I missed?
Hi Sue,
There isn’t a leavening agent missing, but maybe add just a little more flour to your mixture since your are spreading too much. They should be holding their shape.