Classic Butter Spritz Cookies
The ultimate melt-in-your-mouth holiday tradition! These buttery, tender cookies press out like a dream and hold their festive shapes perfectly in the oven.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 large Egg room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp Almond extract
- 2 1/4 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- Green food coloring optional, if making tree shapes
- Holiday sprinkles or colored sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare two heavy-duty metal baking sheets. Do not line them with parchment paper and do not grease them! The dough needs a bare surface to grip.
- In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar on high speed until light, pale, and very fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Beat in the room-temperature egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined and smooth.
- If you are making green holiday trees, add a few drops of green food coloring to the wet mixture and blend until you reach your desired shade.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the all-purpose flour and salt. Mix just until a soft, pliable dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Pack the soft dough firmly into the barrel of your cookie press, pushing out any large air pockets. Attach your desired decorative plate to the end.
- Hold the press completely flat against the ungreased baking sheet. Squeeze the trigger once, then lift the press straight up. Repeat, spacing the cookies about 1 inch apart.
- Decorate the raw pressed dough generously with colored sanding sugar or holiday sprinkles.
- Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are just barely beginning to turn golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the hot baking sheet for 2 minutes to firm up, then use a thin spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Bare Metal Pans Only: Never use parchment paper, silicone mats, or non-stick spray. The dough must stick to the metal to release from the cookie press. Cool Pans Between Batches: Never press dough onto a warm baking sheet, or the butter will melt and the cookies will lose their intricate shapes. Do Not Chill the Dough: This dough must be soft to pass through the cookie press. Mix and press immediately! Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
