Name: Spritz Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 9 min
Total time: 39 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (16 Tbsp; 226g); 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g); 1 large egg, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon almond extract; 2 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (291g); 1/2 teaspoon salt; Gel food coloring; Sprinkles; Chocolate chips; Melted chocolate for drizzling

Jump to Recipe· 4.8 from 12 reviews

Hey friend, if you’ve been hunting for that perfect, melt-in-your-mouth buttery holiday treat, this Spritz Cookies Recipe is exactly what you’ve been dreaming about. These fun, festive cookies have been a staple in my kitchen for years, and I promise once you taste them, you’ll want to keep a batch ready all season long. They’re lightly crisp on the outside, tender inside, and just begging to be decorated your way. Stick with me and I’ll share all my tips to make your spritz cookies nothing short of fan-freaking-tastic!

🖤

Why This Recipe Works

Perfect Butter to Flour Ratio: It gives these cookies that classic, tender crumb without spreading too much during baking.
Almond Extract Magic: This little addition elevates the flavor, making them taste extra special and recognizable.
Cold Baking Sheets: Chilling your lined baking sheets before pressing helps the cookies keep their gorgeous shapes perfectly.
Cookie Press Convenience: Using a cookie press speeds up baking and creates those iconic shapes that look as good as they taste.

Spritz Cookies, Easy Spritz Cookies, Holiday Cookie Recipes, Butter Cookie Recipe, Festive Cookie Ideas - The image shows many small cookies in different shapes and colors spread over a white marbled surface. There are five main cookie shapes: light beige flower shapes with blue or red sugar sprinkles, green round wreath shapes with red, green, and white sprinkles, light beige flower shapes with a dark brown chocolate round center and dark brown chocolate drizzle lines, light beige rectangular shapes with blue sugar sprinkles, and light beige Christmas tree shapes decorated with red and green sprinkles. Each cookie has a soft, piped texture with visible ridges and details. The mix of green, beige, red, blue, and dark brown colors creates a festive and colorful look. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

The magic of these spritz cookies lies in simple, quality ingredients combined thoughtfully. Each component adds to the final cookie’s texture, flavor, or appearance, so choosing the right ones makes a world of difference.

Spritz Cookies, Easy Spritz Cookies, Holiday Cookie Recipes, Butter Cookie Recipe, Festive Cookie Ideas - Flat lay of a smooth pale yellow slab of unsalted butter, a small white ceramic bowl filled with fine white granulated sugar, a single large brown egg with an uncracked shell, a small white ceramic bowl holding clear vanilla extract, a small white ceramic bowl containing pale amber almond extract, a neat pile of white all-purpose flour, a small mound of fine white salt crystals in a white ceramic bowl, placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Unsalted Butter: Soft but not melted, this gives you control over the dough consistency and the richness that defines spritz cookies.
Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create a slight crisp at the edges when baked.
Egg: Binds the dough while keeping it tender and just moist enough.
Pure Vanilla Extract: A classic flavor booster that rounds out the taste beautifully.
Almond Extract: This is the secret weapon! Adds that unmistakable nutty aroma and flavor that makes spritz cookies so iconic.
All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure, but don’t forget to spoon and level it for accuracy to avoid dry, crumbly dough.
Salt: Enhances all the sweetness and balances flavors perfectly.
Optional Decorations (Gel Food Coloring, Sprinkles, Chocolate Chips): These let you dress up your cookies however you want — festive, playful, or elegant.

📝

Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

One of my favorite things about spritz cookies is how customizable they are. I love playing around with different flavors and decorations depending on the season or mood. Go ahead and make this recipe your own — the cookie press lets you have so much fun experimenting.

Flavor Swap: If you’re not an almond fan, swap that almond extract for peppermint or lemon extract. I tried peppermint once, and it turned my Christmas batch into a winter wonderland sensation.
Color Play: Tint your dough with gel food coloring to match holidays or parties. Just a drop or two goes a long way, so start small!
Decorating Fun: Use sprinkles, sanding sugars, or press mini chocolate chips in the center before baking. My kids love sprinkling rainbow sugar on top whenever they help me bake.
Without a Cookie Press: No cookie press? No worries! Use a pastry bag with a star tip to pipe these beauties — I’ve done this many times and it works perfectly.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Spritz Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Prep Your Space and Chill Those Sheets

Before anything else, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two or three large baking sheets with silicone mats — parchment won’t work here because the dough won’t stick to it. If you have room, pop those lined baking sheets into the fridge while you mix your dough. It sounds odd, but I swear this little trick helps the cookie dough keep its shape beautifully when you press it out.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar Like a Pro

In a large bowl, beat your softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until super smooth and fluffy — about three minutes. If you need, here’s a quick tip: Scrape the bowl halfway through to get every bit combined evenly. This step is where that rich texture starts forming.

Step 3: Mix in the Egg and Extracts

Now, add your egg, vanilla, and almond extracts. Beat on high speed for about a minute until everything’s blended in nicely. Scrape down the sides if needed so there’s nothing left hiding in the bowl.

Step 4: Gently Add Flour and Salt

Switch to low speed and slowly incorporate the flour and salt. Once the flour starts to come together, bump up the speed to high and beat until it’s a smooth, uniform dough. Be careful not to overmix — you want the cookies tender, not tough.

Step 5: Press, Decorate, and Chill if Needed

Fit your cookie press with your favorite decorative plate and fill it with dough. Press the cookies out on those chilled baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. If you want, lightly brush with water before adding sprinkles so they stick better — a little trick I learned from experience! If your dough starts to get too soft, just pop the whole tray into the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up.

Step 6: Bake to Perfection

Bake your cookies for 7 to 9 minutes until the edges are just starting to turn light golden (don’t wait until they’re brown unless you want a crunchier cookie). Then pull them out and let them rest on the tray for about 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. If you’re feeling fancy, drizzle some melted chocolate on top once they’re cool for an extra indulgent touch.

💡

Tips from My Kitchen

Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter and egg are really at room temp — it makes the creaming and mixing way smoother.
Don’t Overfill the Press: Fill your cookie press just enough to avoid dough oozing out the sides and messing up shapes.
Work Fast but Chill Dough as Needed: If your kitchen is warm, the dough softens fast; just chill the pressed cookies briefly before baking.
Skip Parchment: Avoid parchment paper — silicone mats or plain baking sheets chilled work best to keep shapes crisp.

How to Serve Spritz Cookies Recipe

Spritz Cookies, Easy Spritz Cookies, Holiday Cookie Recipes, Butter Cookie Recipe, Festive Cookie Ideas - A white plate is filled with four rows of festive cookies arranged neatly. The first row on the left has light brown flower-shaped cookies decorated with chocolate stripes and a dark chocolate center. The next row has slightly darker light brown flower cookies sprinkled with red and green sugar, appearing rough textured. The third row consists of bright green flower cookies with red sugar sprinkles. The fourth row has light brown flower cookies with chocolate stripes and a chocolate center on top. Around the plate, there are more scattered light brown cookies sprinkled with red and green sugar. Two small white bowls with Christmas-themed sprinkles, one filled with red, green, and white tiny balls and the other with blue sugar, sit on the white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Garnishes

I love using red and green sanding sugars or delicate nonpareils for holiday charm, but sprinkles come in so many shapes and colors that you can tailor these cookies to every occasion. Sometimes, a small chocolate chip pressed into the center adds a cute little pop of flavor and texture that everyone enjoys.

Side Dishes

Pair these buttery singers with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or a cold glass of milk for a nostalgic treat. They also make a sweet addition to cookie platters during parties and stand up well alongside other holiday desserts like fudge or peppermint bark.

Creative Ways to Present

For special occasions, I love arranging the spritz cookies on festive plates in patterns—like wreath shapes or alternating colors—which always impresses guests. Wrapping them up in clear cellophane tied with a colorful ribbon makes a memorable edible gift too!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I keep leftover spritz cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay perfectly fresh and tender for up to a week. Make sure to let them cool fully before storing so they don’t sweat inside the container.

Freezing

I’ve successfully frozen both the dough and baked cookies. For dough, wrap it tightly and freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Baked cookies freeze well too, just thaw at room temp before serving for best flavor and texture.

Reheating

If you want warm cookies fresh from “the oven,” pop frozen baked cookies in a preheated 300°F oven for about 5 minutes. It refreshes that buttery aroma and softens them just right without drying them out.

FAQs

Can I make spritz cookies without a cookie press?

Absolutely! If you don’t have a cookie press, a pastry bag with a star tip works great for piping the dough into pretty shapes. You can also scoop small balls and flatten slightly for a different but still delicious style.
Why won’t my spritz cookie dough stick to parchment paper?

Spritz cookie dough generally doesn’t stick well to parchment paper because of its buttery texture and press method. Using silicone baking mats or unlined baking sheets, chilled if possible, gives the best adhesion and shape retention.
Can I substitute almond extract in this spritz cookies recipe?

Yes! Almond extract adds a unique flavor, but you can swap it with peppermint, lemon, or vanilla extract depending on your preference. You can even add a pinch of cinnamon to give a warming twist.
How long can I store spritz cookies at room temperature?

Stored in an airtight container, spritz cookies will stay fresh and delicious for up to one week at room temperature. Beyond that, they might begin to lose their tender texture.

Final Thoughts

This Spritz Cookies Recipe isn’t just about cookies—it’s about the joy of tradition, the fun of decorating, and the happiness that comes with sharing homemade treats with loved ones. Every time I make this batch, it feels like catching up with old friends, warm and comforting. I hope you’ll find the same delight in making and sharing these. Seriously, grab your cookie press (or piping bag!) and dive in—you’re going to love these spritz cookies as much as I do.