Spritz Spritzgebäck Cookies

Spritz (Spritzgebäck) Cookies

Spritz Cookies

All the cookies I baked minus the ones I ate warm ;)

Spritz (Spritzgebäck) Cookies are one of the most popular holiday cookies for this time of year, and one of my favorite recipes to bake and eat. They make fabulous gifts and are so pretty. These buttery delights originate from the German word "spritzen", which means to squirt or spray. The cookies are made using a cookie press or pastry bag fitted with desired tip. The texture of the cookies are a little crisp when you bite into them and tender inside. I used my Cuisinart Electric Cookie Press and using one allows you to create cookies in different shapes. The cookie shapes hold well, but it is important not to chill the dough. Cookies should be placed on an ungreased baking sheet. The butter ensures the cookies do not stick to the sheet. I used sugar pearls in blue, white, and silver; blue and white snowflakes; colored sugars in silver, white, red, green, lime green, blue, pink, orange and gold. If you wish, you can tint the dough in different colors, and green would be great for the trees and wreaths, and red for the hearts. I opted to keep this recipe in the more traditional sense, and not tint any of the dough. This recipe is also made with finely ground nuts like hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, etc... If you want to change the flavor profile, you can substitute the pure vanilla extract to almond, coconut, anise, orange, or lemon extract. Instead of using granulated sugar I opted for vanilla sugar to increase the vanilla flavor. I have baked these cookies for years, and this one recipe from tweaking it, is the best Spritz one I have made. If there is only one cookie you decide to make this holiday, this one is it! Recipe below.

Spritz Cookies

Yield: 6 Dozen 1 1/2 Inch Cookies

Ingredients
1 Extra Large Egg

1 tablespoon Heavy Cream

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

1 1/2 cups Unsalted Butter, softened

1 cup Vanilla Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Coarse Salt

3 1/2 cups King Arthur All-Purpose Flour

Colored Sugars and Sprinkles of your choice

Pretty Spritz Cookies

Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk egg, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until combined; set aside.

In a bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter, vanilla sugar and salt on medium high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

Scrape down bowl with spatula.

With mixer on medium speed, add egg mixture and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds.

With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour and beat until combined.

Scrape down bowl with spatula and give a final stir to make sure no flour pockets remain.

Close-ups of Spritz Cookies

Dough will be soft, but do not refrigerate.

Fit your cookie press with desired disk to form cookies or pastry bag with desired tip.

Press onto ungreased baking sheet, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Decorate with colored sugars and sprinkles.

Bake until cookies are light golden brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. My cookies baked in 10 minutes.

Cool cookie sheets completely before you press more cookies on it. I stick the cookie sheets in the freezer for 5 minutes.

Cool baked cookies for about 5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys