Spritz Cookies: Classic Butter Cookie Press Recipe

Spritz cookies are the buttery little shapes that fill every Christmas cookie tin. The dough is pressed through a cookie press into trees, wreaths, and flowers, then decorated with sprinkles and colored sugar before baking.

They are crisp at the edges, tender in the middle, and flavored with vanilla and a touch of almond. One batch makes about six dozen, so they are perfect for cookie exchanges.

For more classic butter cookies, try my Danish butter cookies, grandma’s sugar cookies, and Christmas gooey butter cookies.

JUMP TO

• Why You’ll Love This Spritz Cookies
• What Is Spritz Cookies?
• Ingredients
• Kitchen Equipment
• Ingredient Tips
• How to Make Spritz Cookies
• Expert Tips for Perfect Spritz Cookies
• Delicious Variations
• What to Serve with Spritz Cookies
• Storage Instructions
• Can You Make It Ahead?
• Common Mistakes to Avoid
• Estimated Nutrition
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Why You’ll Love This Spritz Cookies

They are fast, festive, and taste like pure butter.

Big Batch

About 72 cookies from one recipe.

No Chilling

The dough goes straight into the press.

Fun Shapes

Trees, wreaths, flowers, and stars.

Easy Decorating

Sprinkles go on before baking.

Long Lasting

They keep for 2 weeks in a tin.

What Is Spritz Cookies?

Spritz cookies are Scandinavian and German butter cookies. The name comes from the German word “spritzen,” meaning “to squirt,” because the dough is pushed through a press.

The dough is soft and buttery, but firm enough to hold its pressed shape in the oven.

They are close cousins of Danish butter cookies, but pressed instead of piped, which makes them faster and more uniform.

The dough is simple: butter, sugar, egg, flour, and flavor. No baking powder is needed, so the cookies hold the sharp detail from the press.

Ingredients

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Spritz Dough

Ingredient	Amount	Purpose
Unsalted butter, softened	1 cup	Rich flavor
Granulated sugar	⅔ cup	Sweetness
Large egg, room temperature	1	Binding
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon	Flavor
Almond extract	½ teaspoon	Classic spritz flavor
All-purpose flour	2¼ cups	Structure
Salt	¼ teaspoon	Balance

Color and Decoration

Ingredient	Amount	Purpose
Green gel food coloring (for trees and wreaths)	Few drops	Festive color
Red and green sprinkles and sanding sugar	As desired	Decoration

Kitchen Equipment

• Cookie press with Christmas discs
• Stand or hand mixer
• Mixing bowls
• Ungreased, unlined baking sheets
• Wire rack

Ingredient Tips

Softened Butter

Soft but cool; melted butter makes dough too loose.

Do Not Use Parchment

The dough needs to stick to a bare pan to release from the press.

Gel Coloring

Liquid coloring makes the dough too wet.

Measure Flour Carefully

Too much makes dough hard to press.

Room Temperature Egg

Mixes smoothly.

How to Make Spritz Cookies

Step 1: Heat the Oven

Heat the oven to 350°F. Keep baking sheets cool and ungreased.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar

Beat the butter and sugar 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Step 3: Add Egg and Flavor

Beat in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract.

Step 4: Add Flour

Mix in the flour and salt on low until a soft dough forms.

Step 5: Tint the Dough

Divide the dough. Tint half green with gel coloring and leave half plain.

Step 6: Press the Cookies

Fill the cookie press. Hold it upright against the cool baking sheet and press one click per cookie, spacing 1 inch apart.

Step 7: Decorate

Sprinkle with sprinkles or sanding sugar.

Step 8: Bake

Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until set and barely golden at the edges. Cool 2 minutes, then move to a rack.

Expert Tips for Perfect Spritz Cookies

Cool Pans Matter

Warm pans make cookies slide off the press.

First Few Are Practice

Scrape and re-press any misshapen ones.

Dough Too Stiff?

Add 1 teaspoon milk.

Dough Too Soft?

Chill it 10 minutes.

Do Not Overbake

Spritz should stay pale.

Delicious Variations

Chocolate Spritz

Replace ¼ cup flour with cocoa powder.

Peppermint Spritz

Swap almond for peppermint extract.

Orange Spritz

Add orange zest.

Dipped Spritz

Dip half in melted chocolate.

Sandwich Spritz

Sandwich two flowers with jam.

What to Serve with Spritz Cookies

Fill holiday tins, cookie trays, and cookie exchange boxes.

Serve them with hot cocoa, coffee, or a cold glass of milk.

Kids love choosing the shapes and adding the sprinkles, so they are a perfect family baking project.

Mix shapes and colors on a platter for a pretty tray.

Storage Instructions

Storage Method	How Long	Best Practice
Room Temperature	2 weeks	Airtight tin
Freezer (baked)	3 months	Layers separated
Dough (fridge)	3 days	Bring to room temperature before pressing

Spritz cookies stay crisp in a tin.

Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature.

Can You Make It Ahead?

Bake up to 2 weeks before your event.

Make the dough a few days ahead; soften before pressing.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Cookies Will Not Stick to Pan

Pan greased, lined, or warm.

Dough Too Stiff

Too much flour or cold dough.

Lost Shape

Butter too soft.

Browned Cookies

Overbaked.

Pale Colors

Too little gel coloring.

Estimated Nutrition

Nutrient	Amount Per Serving
Calories	45
Carbohydrates	5g
Protein	1g
Fat	3g
Saturated Fat	2g
Fiber	0g
Sugar	2g
Sodium	10mg
Cholesterol	9mg

Estimate per cookie, based on 72 cookies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Spritz cookies are buttery, pretty, and a must-have for Christmas. With a cookie press, you can make dozens in under an hour.

Get out the press and start filling those cookie tins.

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