Micah A. Leal
Spritz cookies are crumbly, simple, and iconic, especially when shared in Christmas cookie boxes. Originating in Germany and Scandinavia in the 16th century, these cookies are extruded from a piece of kitchen equipment that gives them their unique shape. For whatever reason, the cookie press (the kitchen tool required to make spritz cookies) spiked in popularity in America from the 60s to the 90s, leaving most of us nostalgically craving this type of sugar cookie come the holidays. The good news is that a cookie press is a really affordable piece of kitchen equipment, and that the cookie dough that goes into the press is one of the easiest doughs to make. The dough takes no more than 5 minutes to come together, and then it’s just a matter of picking the patterns you want for your cookies and pushing the cookie dough into the cookie press. The only trick when making spritz cookies is to break one of the rules of cookie making—use an ungreased baking sheet and do not use parchment paper. The cookie dough has to stick to the baking sheet’s surface when it’s extruded from the cookie press, and if the cookie sheet is coated in oil, the cookie will not take its proper shape. Lastly, once the cookies have cooled, simply brush the cookies with a small amount of light corn syrup to help colorful holiday sprinkles to stick to the cookies.
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter and sugar together until lightened, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolks, almond extract, and vanilla. Beat until well incorporated. In a separate bowl, stir together flour and salt. Add to the butter-sugar mixture and beat until just combined, about 1 1/2 minutes.
Step 2
Use your hands to combine the shaggy dough into a ball, and use some of the dough to fill a cookie press fitted with the pattern attachment you wish to use. Press the cookies onto ungreased baking sheets (light colored aluminum baking sheets are preferred over dark metal baking sheets).
Step 3
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating halfway. The cookies should barely brown and maintain an off-white color. Immediately remove the cookies to a cooling rack, and allow to cool completely before decorating.
Chef's Notes
Lightly brushing the cookies with light corn syrup after they have cooled allows sprinkles to stick to the surface of the cookies. Dipping and drizzling these cookies in either semisweet or white chocolate is another delicious decorating option.
