Ultimate Festive Spritz Cookies

Spritz Cookies

Spritz cookies are a beloved holiday classic, and these ultimate festive spritz cookies bring together everything that makes seasonal baking unforgettable. Delicate, buttery, light in texture, and shaped into beautiful designs using a cookie press, they offer elegance without complication. Whether you decorate them with sparkling sugar or colorful sprinkles, these cookies feel like tradition in every bite.

Introduction

These cookies are the kind that linger in your memory long after the holidays are over. Their soft scent of butter and vanilla, the fun shapes pressed onto the baking sheet, and the joy of decorating them make them the heart of festive baking. The ultimate festive spritz cookies are made to share, gift, and enjoy with loved ones during the most wonderful time of the year.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 to 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1⁄4 cups powdered sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla, almond, or eggnog extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour

For the Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
• Holiday confetti sprinkles or colored sugar

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar until the texture becomes pale and airy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Continue beating until fully combined. Begin adding the flour gradually, mixing only until the dough becomes smooth and cohesive.

Step 2: Prepare Your Cookie Press

Load the dough into the cookie press using the manufacturer’s instructions. Press the dough directly onto an ungreased baking sheet. If you do not have a cookie press, a piping bag with a large star tip will also create beautiful shapes.

Step 3: Bake the Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Press the shapes onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Watch the edges closely; they should turn barely golden. These cookies remain pale when properly baked.

Step 4: Prepare the Glaze

In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar with one tablespoon of milk until smooth. Continue adding milk in very small amounts until a drizzle-ready consistency forms.

Step 5: Decorate the Cookies

Once the cookies cool completely, drizzle the glaze over them gently. Top with festive sprinkles, colored sugar, or nonpareils. Allow the glaze to set before serving or storing.

Pro Tips for Best Results

1. Mix only until the flour disappears. Overmixing will toughen the delicate crumb.
2. Use an ungreased baking sheet so the pressed shapes adhere long enough to bake with clean edges.
3. If dough feels too soft, chill it briefly for better shaping.
4. For crisp cookies, bake toward the longer end of the baking time.
5. For cookies that stay pale, remove them as soon as the edges turn the slightest golden color.

Serving Suggestions and Pairings

Spritz cookies pair beautifully with:

• Hot tea or chamomile
• Homemade hot chocolate
• Eggnog
• Vanilla almond coffee
• Holiday dessert boards with truffles and gingerbread

They also make excellent edible gifts packaged in small tins or boxes with parchment paper between layers.

Variations

• Add lemon zest or orange zest for citrus spritz cookies.
• Dip half the cookie in melted chocolate.
• Add flavored extracts like hazelnut or maple.
• Use food coloring to tint the dough before shaping.
• Sprinkle with crushed candy cane for a peppermint twist.

Storage

Store the ultimate festive spritz cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Freeze unglazed cookies for up to three months.
Freeze the dough for future batches by wrapping tightly in plastic and placing in a freezer bag.

Nutrition Table

Serving Size	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Fiber	Sugar
1 cookie	110	1g	10g	7g	0g	5g

Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are estimates only and can vary based on ingredients and preparation methods. Consult a nutritionist for precise dietary information.

FAQs

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