Buttery Classic Spritz Cookies for the Holidays

This Classic Spritz Cookies recipe gives you festive, holiday-shaped cookies with a buttery-soft bite that melt in your mouth and make a lovely addition to any holiday cookie tin!

Here is why these buttery spritz cookies are…

• simple to make
• a recipe with no chilling required
• soft with a chewy bite
• a rich, buttery flavor
• a welcome sight in any cookie tin or cookie swap
• fun to decorate with sanding sugars, nonpareils, and red and green food coloring

It has been ages since I last made these cookies, and I had forgotten just how delicious and nearly addictive they can be. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Useful Baking Tools

You will need the basics for this classic spritz cookie recipe, such as a stand mixer or hand mixer, a spatula, and cookie sheets. You will also need the following:

• Cookie Press and Discs. My cookie press is made by OXO and includes a set of discs in different shapes. They also sell a second set of holiday-themed discs.
• Mixing Bowls. I used a few mixing bowls to tint some of the spritz cookie dough green and red.
• Food Coloring. I have been using AmeriColor’s food coloring student kit and love how vivid the colors turn out. I added 2-3 drops of green and red food coloring to the cookie dough.

Step-by-Step Method

Here is a quick overview of how to make these classic spritz cookies. For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below.

1. Beat the butter and sugar together. The mixture should look pale and feel light and fluffy.
2. Add in the baking powder, egg, and vanilla.
3. Add in the flour. Mix on low speed until everything is well blended.
4. Divide the dough. Only do this if you plan to color the dough red and green. Be sure to clean your cookie press between the different colored doughs.
5. Press the cookies out and decorate. Add a little red, green, or blue sanding sugar or nonpareils to each cookie.
6. Bake at 375ºF for 8-10 minutes. For reference, mine were perfect at 9 minutes.
7. Let the cookies cool slightly. Then move them to a wire cooling rack.
8. Another decorating idea. You can melt some semi-sweet chocolate chips with coconut oil and pipe them over the cookies.
9. Store the cookies in a food container. Do not forget the slice of bread that keeps the spritz cookies nice and soft.

Cookie Press Pointers

• Be patient. Truly. It takes a little time to get the hang of a cookie press. If the first few cookies do not turn out how you like, you can also scoop the dough and press it again!
• Do not grease your cookie sheets. Parchment paper is not needed either. In my experience the dough never sticks, so ungreased sheets work best.
• Keep the cookie press flat on the cookie sheet. Never hold it at an angle.
• Pump the cookie press handle just once. Pump it twice and you will get an even bigger cookie.
• Pause, then lift straight up. After you press the handle, wait a second before lifting the cookie press straight up.
• Space out your spritz cookies. Leave about 1-2 inches between each one.
• Clean your cookie press. This tip matters most when you switch between different colored spritz cookie dough.

Common Questions

I recommend the cookie press by OXO. It is easy to handle and clean, and it comes with a nice set of discs you can use all year.

Store them in a tightly sealed container with a slice of bread to keep them soft.

I recommend AmeriColor food coloring. I have their student kit, which includes 12 different colors.

If you make this Classic Spritz Cookies recipe or anything else from my website, please give it a star rating and let me know what you thought in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!