Classic Spritz Cookie Recipe: Perfect Holiday Butter Cookies

This Classic Spritz Cookies recipe produces buttery, soft cookies in festive shapes that practically melt in your mouth. They’re ideal for holiday cookie tins, swaps, or a cozy afternoon of baking.

Pile of decorated buttery classic spritz cookies | © Beyond the Butter®
Tiny dessert plates with classic spritz cookies on a white marble background | © Beyond the Butter®

Table of Contents

  • These Buttery Spritz Cookies are…
  • Recommended Baking Tools
  • Tips on How to Use a Cookie Press
  • How to Make This Recipe
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Check Out These Other Yummy Cookie Recipes!
  • Classic Spritz Cookies Recipe

These Buttery Spritz Cookies are…

  • easy to make
  • a no-chill cookie recipe
  • soft and chewy
  • rich with buttery flavor
  • a great addition to any cookie tin or swap
  • perfect for decorating with sanding sugars, nonpareils, or food coloring

It had been a while since I last made these, and I’d forgotten how addictive they can be. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Decorated classic buttery spritz cookies lined up on a white marbled background | © Beyond theButter®

Recommended Baking Tools

You’ll need basic baking gear—stand mixer or hand mixer, spatula, and cookie sheets—plus a few items that make spritz cookies simple and fun:

  • Cookie press and discs. A good cookie press (one with multiple discs) speeds production and creates consistent shapes.
  • Mixing bowls. Use separate bowls if you plan to tint dough different colors.
  • Gel food coloring. A few drops of quality gel or paste food coloring give bright, stable hues without thinning the dough.

Tips on How to Use a Cookie Press

  1. Be patient. It takes a few tries to get consistent shapes; don’t worry if the first cookies aren’t perfect.
  2. Use ungreased sheets. The dough releases best on ungreased cookie sheets; parchment usually isn’t necessary.
  3. Keep the press flat. Hold the cookie press perpendicular to the pan—avoid angling it.
  4. Press once per cookie. One steady pump gives the right portion; two pumps make oversized cookies.
  5. Lift straight up. Pause briefly after pressing, then lift the press straight up to keep the shape intact.
  6. Space cookies. Leave about 1–2 inches between cookies to allow for slight puffing.
  7. Clean between colors. If you switch dough colors, clean the press to avoid cross-color streaks.
Pile of classic spritz cookies | © Beyond the Butter®

How to Make This Recipe

Quick overview—full recipe details follow in the recipe card below.

  1. Cream butter and sugar. Beat until light in color and fluffy.
  2. Add baking powder, egg, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
  3. Stir in the flour. Mix on low until the dough is smooth and thick.
  4. Color the dough if desired. Divide into bowls and add 2–3 drops of food coloring to each; mix thoroughly.
  5. Press and decorate. Fill the cookie press, press out shapes onto ungreased sheets, and add sanding sugar or nonpareils if you like.
  6. Bake. 375°F for 8–10 minutes; 9 minutes often yields perfectly baked cookies.
  7. Cool and decorate. Let cookies cool briefly on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack. Drizzle or pipe melted chocolate if desired.
  8. Store. Keep cookies at room temperature in an airtight container; add a slice of bread to retain softness.
Tiny dessert plates with classic spritz cookies on a white marble background | © Beyond the Butter®
Decorated classic buttery spritz cookies lined up on a white marbled background | © Beyond theButter®

Recipe FAQs

What cookie press do you recommend?

Choose a well-made cookie press that’s easy to disassemble and clean and includes a variety of discs for different shapes.

What’s the best way to store spritz cookies?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Adding a slice of bread helps keep them soft.

What food coloring works best?

Use gel or paste food coloring for bright colors without thinning the dough. A little goes a long way—start with 2–3 drops.

Check Out These Other Yummy Cookie Recipes!

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Classic Spritz Cookies

5 from 2 votes
Author: Jennifer
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 84 cookies
Pile of decorated buttery classic spritz cookies.
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This Classic Spritz Cookies recipe yields buttery, melt-in-your-mouth holiday cookies that are easy to shape and decorate.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Unsalted Butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 large Egg
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 3 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour

Optional Decorating Extras

  • 2–3 drops Red food coloring
  • 2–3 drops Green food coloring
  • Red, green, or blue sanding sugar
  • White nonpareils
  • 6–8 oz semi-sweet chocolate (for drizzling after baking)
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil (to thin melted chocolate)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375ºF and position a rack just above center. Prepare 2–3 ungreased cookie sheets; parchment is optional.
  • In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy.
  • Add the baking powder, egg, and vanilla extract; mix until combined.
  • With the mixer on low, add the all-purpose flour and mix until the dough is smooth and thick.
  • If coloring dough, divide into bowls and add 2–3 drops of food coloring to each; mix until evenly colored.
  • Fill the cookie press and press cookies onto ungreased sheets, leaving 1–2 inches between cookies. Sprinkle with sanding sugar or nonpareils if desired.
  • Bake at 375ºF for 8–10 minutes. Cookies will puff but won’t spread much; 9 minutes is a good target. Cool briefly on the sheet, then transfer to a rack.
  • If desired, melt semi-sweet chocolate with coconut oil until slightly thin and pipe or drizzle over cooled cookies.
  • Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container. A slice of bread keeps them soft.

Notes

  • You can melt semi-sweet chocolate with a bit of coconut oil to create a thinner drizzle for decorating.
  • To maintain softness, store cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 71 kcal | Carbohydrates: 7 g | Protein: 1 g | Fat: 4 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g

Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary based on specific ingredients and portion sizes.


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