Spritz cookies are a Christmas tradition whether you use a cookie press or piping bag. These buttery shortbread cookies are sure to brighten your Christmas cookie platter. Today, I share with you my no-fail recipe and method with tips to make sure you have perfect Christmas Spritz Cookies every single time.
Course Desserts
Cuisine American, German
Keyword Christmas, Christmas cookies Recipe, cookies, German cookies, Spritz
Dry ingredients – In a bowl combine flour, salt, spice, cornstarch – and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.Tip - For cookies, butter should be at room temperature about 60 F to 70 F, so they don't spread when baking.
Next, add the egg followed by the vanilla and almond extract. Scrape the bowl and mix again until creamy.
Then, add the flour mixture – the consistency of this dough is softer compared to other cookies. That so you can press it easily from the cookie press. Tip - do not chill the cookie dough or you will not be able to use the press comfortably and you might even break the cookie press.
Divide the dough into 3 or 4 portions. You can color the dough with food color gels if you prefer.
Fill the dough into the cookie press with a Christmas disc. Every cookie press is different so make sure to read the instructions well and set the press as per directions.Tip - If you don’t have a cookie press – place the cookie dough into a piping bag with a medium star tip such as the 824. Pipe swirls or kisses onto a baking tray or parchment-lined baking tray.
Press cookies directly on the baking tray (no parchment paper). Hold the cookie press at a right angle (straight up) to the baking tray, press down, hold, then lift up. If you have any points press them down with a wet finger. Tip - The cookies stick to the parchment paper or silicone mat. The best way to press the cookies out is to do it directly on the baking tray.
Bake the cookies in a preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes. These do bake quickly so keep a close eye on them. You need to take them out as soon as you see the edges get a slight color.Tip - you can sprinkle some sanding sugar or sprinkles on the cookies before baking too
Cool on the baking tray for just 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Tip - the cookies continue to bake on the hot baking tray and they release easily when you let them cool on the baking tray.
The cookies are delicious on their own without any frosting. But you can certainly decorate them with melted chocolate and sprinkles.
For the sugar glaze - combine the powdered sugar and water until you have a smooth pouring consistency. Color and transfer to piping bags. Decorate as desired (watch the video for ideas)
Let the frosting or glaze dry before you store them away otherwise they will stick to each other.
These cookies will stay in an airtight cookie jar for up to a week.
Video
Notes
Make sure the butter is firm at room temperature, not soft or melted when you cream the butter and sugar.
Use fine grain sugar so it creams well with the butter. In the video, you can see I have pulsed my brown sugar in a food processor because the brown sugar I get is very thick and takes very long to cream.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Do not skip this step because there is no leavening in the recipe. The air you incorporate now is what will give you light cookies.
After you add the egg - mix again until it is creamy. If you need to add a tablespoon of flour to help it cream.
Once you add the flour, do not over mix. You do not want to activate the gluten in the dough.
Do not press too much dough into the cookie press as it will be difficult to press the dough out. Some plastic presses can break with the force (don't ask me how I know that).
Press the cookies directly on the baking tray without any parchment paper. The cookie press creates a suction that helps keep the cookie dough on the tray, so you can pick the press and leave the cookie behind.
Make sure the baking tray is clean and grease-free. Grease will prevent the cookies from sticking to the tray. If necessary wipe the tray dry.
Hold the cookie press at a right angle - straight up (see video below). This helps create the suction I speak of above.
Keep a close watch in the oven these cookies bake fast - 6 to 8 minutes. They do not spread. But if you live in a hot humid climate you can chill the cookies on the tray before baking.