Spritz Recipe

I really like Spritz cookies. My mom used to make them during the Christmas season, and it was always really fun to see her use what I will always remember as the "cookie gun." Actually, I may have liked making the cookies more than eating them, but that is besides the point. The point is that Spritz cookies are really easy, and only require a little bit of specialized equipment.

These cookies are best consumed fresh, but actually freeze and thaw quite well, which extends their shelf life quite a bit (provided they are in a tightly sealed container or bag). My favorite thing to do with Spritz is actually to partially dip them in chocolate, but that is up to you.

Skip the tutorial and go straight to the recipe.

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Step 1:

Cream together 1 cup butter at room temperature, 1-1/4 cups sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp baking soda until light and fluffy. This will take close to 5 minutes at medium to medium-high speed.

In the past I have advocated creaming the butter and fat together for long periods of time before creaming in the wet ingredients, and finally the dry ingredients. I have since changed my opinion after learning that, for the most part, it doesn't matter. Most professional bakeries actually add most of their ingredients in with the fat and the sugar and mix, then the eggs and flavors and mix, and finally the flour and mix.

Step 2:

Beat together 2 large chicken eggs, or not, if you are lazy, like me. Add the homogenized egg, along with 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp almond extract (no picture) to the stuff in the mixing bowl and cream, again until light and fluffy. Again, this will take a few minutes.

I prefer almond extract in my spritz cookies. However, you could theoretically use any flavoring which strikes your fancy. Add some lemon or orange zest, or maybe some rum flavor, or perhaps even peppermint if the fancy strikes you. Just do me a favor and leave the vanilla in there.

Step 3:

Add 3-1/2 cups all-purpose or pastry flour to the other ingredients in the mixing bowl and mix until just combined. The dough should come together to form a "ball."

Depending on many factors like the temperature of your butter, the exact size of the eggs, the age and type of your flour, etc, you may find that your spritz dough is too stiff. Remedy this stiffness by mixing into the dough enough milk that the dough is soft, but not sticky.

Step 4:

Use your favorite friendly neighborhood cookie press and, following the manufacturer's instructions, deposit the dough on an ungreased cookie sheet.
I know, for once I am not advocating the use of parchment paper. I find it hard enough to get my dough to stick to the metal of my cookie sheet. I don't even want to know how hard it is to get it to stick to a non-stick surface like parchment.
If you feel so inclined, you could sprinkle the raw dough with colored sugar or sanding sugar to make it pretty after it bakes.

Step 5:

Bake at 375° for 9-11 minutes, or at 350°F for 11-13 minutes. Either way, you are looking for the edges to barely turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Spritz Cookies:  Yields ca. 7 dozen cookies, depending on the Spritz die
1 cup butter, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
3-1/2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream together butter, sugar, baking soda, and salt until light and fluffy. Add beaten eggs and vanilla and mix until completely combined and likewise fluffy. Add flour and mix until combined.
Load dough into your favorite cookie press and deposit the gespritzte (that is the past tense of spritz) cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375°F for 9-11 minutes, or until the cookies just begin to take on a golden color.
If dipping in chocolate, allow the cookies to completely cool before dipping.