• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Fine Foods Blog
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Work With Me
  • Shop
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Work With Me
  • Travel
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Work With Me
    • Travel
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes

    Spritz Cookies

    Published: Dec 10, 2017 · Modified: Jan 25, 2023 · by Debra with 12 Comments · 1851 words. About 10 minutes to read this article. · This post contains affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Spritz cookies are traditional German Christmas cookies made with a cookie press and lots of butter! My recipe only has five ingredients and a few secrets that make these the best buttery spritz cookies you've ever tasted.

    Spritz cookies in a variety of colors on a white plate.

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure policy here.

    My family's spritz cookie recipe is better than your family's spritz cookie recipe. Why? Salted butter and egg yolks. These are my secrets.

    Salted butter in a spritz cookie will change your life! This is a super old-timey 1960's Betty Crocker type recipe. I don't even know if they sold unsalted butter back then. This works, trust me. These cookies are rich and buttery with just the right amount of salt.

    And I'm not messing around with just one egg to hold everything together. We're just using the yolks and you're gonna need three! They make the cookies rich and delicious. Many spritz recipes also call for almond extract, but you won't find any of that here. Only vanilla to enhance all that butter, instead of covering it up with artificial flavor.

    So, you know how you sometimes need to just come home after a hard day and whip up a batch of cookies real quick to make it all better? These cookies are not those. Admittedly, spritz cookies are not the easiest to make, but they are worth it. They require some effort, a bit of organization, a cookie press, and butter. Lots and lots of butter.

    Jump to:
    • The Story of My Family's Spritz Cookie Recipe
    • What are spritz cookies?
    • Only 5 ingredients!
    • How to make Spritz Cookies: Step by step instructions
    • Follow these tips for foolproof Spritz cookies
    • FAQ
    • More cookie recipes
    • Recipe

    The Story of My Family's Spritz Cookie Recipe

    Every year, my paternal grandmother made an enormous, near unconscionable amount of Christmas cookies. Chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, cherry winks, butter horns and spritz. Dozens upon dozens of them.

    It was as if she had magic, bottomless tupperware containers that just kept refilling themselves. She never ran out and had enough to send everyone home with at least four dozen. I can't imagine how long this took her. I lived two hours away and was never around to help. It must have taken weeks.

    Spritz cookies were always my dad's favorite (and mine). That's the only kind he wanted in his take-home tupperware container. When he got them home, he would hide them way in the back of the pantry. I remember when, as a teenager, I discovered his hidden cookie stash.

    Red, blue, and green Spritz cookies of various shapes on a baking sheet.

    I thought, "Really? This forty-two year-old man is actually hiding grandma's Christmas cookies from his teenage daughter and his (second, and younger) wife? Really?" It wasn't like he just put them on a high shelf or something. He pushed them way to the back of the shelf in the corner and put bigger things in front of the container so you could not see it. It was purposeful. Very purposeful.

    I used to carefully plot just how many I could steal while he was at work without him noticing. It was even funnier that he thought he was getting away with the whole charade.

    An electric cookie press with wording that says Wear Ever Super Shooter, surrounded by small metal discs for making cookies of various shapes.

    My mom and I have made these cookies together for many years. We had a metal cookie press with a hand crank that was a ridiculous pain in the butt to use.

    One year, we planned out our Christmas cookie making day and went to retrieve the cookie press from the cabinet over the fridge. (That's the cabinet you only open once per year, because the only things in there are the cookie press and a fondue pot.)

    The metal cookie press was not there.

    But this spectacular 1970's masterpiece was.

    Box for a 1970's cookie press with vintage photos along the side.

    Isn't it fab? It makes canapés! It makes 'interesting salads'! A new era of ease and versatility! And in case you need any more suggestions:

    A recipe book entitled, "The Super Shooter Idea Book" featuring simple drawings of the kitchen tool and the food that can be made with it.

    Here's the thing: My mother has no idea where this came from. No idea. She borrowed it from someone? Someone gave it to her? Did you give it to her? Anyone claiming this thing? Well, too late. It's mine now. The plug gets real hot when you use it, but it's fine, it's fine.

    What are spritz cookies?

    Spritz cookies are a traditional German butter cookie made with a cookie press. They are often made at Christmas time because you can make festive shapes in several colors!

    Only 5 ingredients!

    • Flour: Standard AP flour
    • Salted butter: Yes, SALTED butter! Using salted butter ensures that you get just the right amount of salt in every bite of every cookie.
    • Egg yolks: This recipe has three egg yolks, which act as much more than a binder, and give the cookies a beautiful texture and added richness.
    • Sugar and pure vanilla extract: Most spritz recipes have almond extract, but that can taste artificial. Just using vanilla complements the sugar and allows the buttery flavor to shine through.
    • Food coloring, sprinkles, sanding sugar: These are optional if you choose to decorate the cookies.

    How to make Spritz Cookies: Step by step instructions

    Step 1: Cream together the sugar and wet ingredients

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

    Cream together the butter, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla. Use an electric mixer or a fork.

    Step 2: Sift in the flour and form the Spritz dough

    Sift flour into mixture and combine. Once flour is initially mixed in, it's best to just use your hands to get all of the flour evenly distributed and bring the dough together.

    A glass bowl containing four portions of cookie dough in four colors: red, blue, green and yellow.

    Step 3: Add food coloring if using

    Divide dough into portions and add food coloring if using. Again, use your hands to get it all mixed in.

    My grandmother just made one big batch and swirled in a couple of drops of red and green food coloring, so all of her shapes were the same color. This saves a bit of time and energy, if you prefer.

    Step 4: Place dough into the cookie press

    Select shape, put dough into cookie press, and press cookies out onto cookie sheet.

    Side view of several green, Christmas tree shaped cookies on a silver baking sheet.

    Step 5: Bake the Spritz!

    Decorate if desired, then bake for 7 minutes.

    Allow to cool slightly on the cookie sheet, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

    Continue with various shapes and colors.

    alt=""

    Follow these tips for foolproof Spritz cookies

    Tips for baking Spritz

    • I like to use insulated baking sheets for Spritz cookies. Since they are so small and buttery, it seems to keep them from getting too brown on the bottom.
    • Make sure the dough is room temperature. I use my hands to work the food coloring into the dough, and to get it into the press, so it's room temp when I'm getting it onto the cookie sheets. This is probably the most important.
    • Don't use parchment paper or non-stick cookie sheets. This dough needs something it can stick to a little in order to come off the press. The cookies have so much butter in them, I've never had a problem with them sticking to a regular cookie sheet when they bake.

    Tips for using a cookie press

    • You need a good cookie press. The cheap ones tend to break almost immediately. I'm never giving up my vintage 1970s splendor of a press, but this Marcato cookie press is made of anodized aluminum and steel, has a 10-year warranty and comes in fun colors!
    • When pressing out the cookies, start with the cookie press completely flush/in contact with the cookie sheet. Don't press the dough out if the press is still hovering above it. I literally twist my neck and get down at eye level with the cookie sheet when I'm pressing out the cookies so I can see when to stop pressing and lift the press off the sheet. I usually get one or two that are too much dough and one or two that are too little, then I get into a rhythm with them.
    • Stop pressing the dough out and wait a beat before you lift the press up. That one little second of waiting seems to really help to set the cookie shape and allow the dough to release from the press. So the rhythm goes: Cookie press resting flat on cookie sheet, press dough out, stop, then lift.

    FAQ

    Should you use parchment paper when baking spritz cookies?

    No do not use parchment paper and do not grease the cookie sheet either. They will slide all over and loose their shape. They need something grippy to grip onto. And since there is so much butter in the recipe they come off the cookie sheet very easily.

    Can you freeze spritz cookies?

    Yes! They are very delicate, so to avoid breakage use this process: once they are completely cool lay them in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze. Then you can transfer them to an airtight plastic container and keep in the freezer for about a month. (If you put them in a ziploc bag, they will dissolve into crumbs.)

    More cookie recipes

    • Alfajores are traditional Argentinian sandwich cookies filled with dulce de leche!
    • These festive Amaretti Cookies with Cocktail Cherries are perfect for a holiday cookie swap!
    • Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies are a one-bowl recipe.
    • You can't get any simpler than Palmiers (Elephant Ear Cookies), they only have two ingredients!
    • Everyone wants more chocolate so Gluten-Free Triple Chocolate Buckwheat Cookies ought to do the trick.

    Recipe

    Spritz cookies on a white plate.

    Spritz Cookies

    Spritz cookies are traditional German Christmas cookies made with a cookie press and lots of butter! My recipe only has five ingredients and a few secrets that make these the best buttery spritz cookies you've ever tasted.
    4.91 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: german
    Keyword: Spritz cookie recipe
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 7 minutes
    Total Time: 22 minutes
    Servings: 36 cookies
    Calories: 96kcal

    Equipment

    • cookie press
    • cookie sheet
    • cooling rack

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup salted butter softened
    • ⅔ cup sugar
    • 3 egg yolks
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 2 ½ cups flour
    US Customary - Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    • Cream together softened butter, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla with a fork or electric mixer.
    • Sift flour into butter mixture and combine. Your hands are your best tool to ensure that the flour is evenly mixed in and bring the dough together.
    • Divide dough into portions and add food coloring, if desired.
    • Choose cookie shape, insert dough into press, and press out onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
    • Bake for 7 minutes until set, but not brown.
    • Allow to cool slightly on cookie sheet. Carefully remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
    • Store in an airtight container.

    Notes

    • Don't use parchment paper and do not grease the pan. The cookies need something to hold onto otherwise they will dissolve into a pool of butter. I use insulated baking sheets when I make these so they cook evenly and don't get too brown on the bottom. 
    • You need a cookie press for this recipe. I have my vintage one that I'm never giving up. But if you're going to buy one, I'd recommend the best one you can find, because the cheap ones break very quickly. This Marcato cookie press is made from anodized aluminum and steel and has a 10-year warranty, as well as loads of good reviews. And it comes in fun colors! 
     
    This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure policy here.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 96kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 179IU | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

    More Dessert Recipes

    • Three chocolate pots de creme with whipped cream on top. Chocolate wafers are on the left, a spoon with chocolate on it is on the right.
      Chocolate Pots de Crème
    • Pieces of cranberry pecan dark chocolate bark on white parchment paper.
      Cranberry Pecan Dark Chocolate Bark
    • Four pumpkin cookies arranged in a grid on a white surface.
      Easy Pumpkin Cookies
    • A caramel apple upside down cake with a sliced removed on a blue plate. Two apples are in the upper right hand corner.
      Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ellen

      December 01, 2020 at 6:06 am

      I have the super shooteras well and always seem to have issues getting the dough off the press... do you use something to scrape them off? I feel like I made these once and had no issue, but I can't seem to duplicate without disaster-looking cookies. But I want to keep trying; I love these cookies!

      What is your trick?

      Reply
      • Debra

        December 01, 2020 at 9:26 am

        Hi Ellen,

        It can sometimes be challenging to get them off the press. I seem to have a few bad ones before I have good ones, kind of like throwing away the first pancake... Here are my suggestions:

        1. Don't use dough that is too cold. I use my hands to work the food coloring into the dough, and to get it into the press, so it's room temp when I'm getting it onto the cookie sheets. This is probably the most important.
        2. Don't use parchment paper or non-stick cookie sheets. I feel like this dough needs something it can stick to a little in order to come off the press. They have so much butter in them, I've never had a problem with them sticking to a regular cookie sheet when they bake.
        3. Start with the cookie press completely flush/in contact with the cookie sheet. Don't press the dough out if you are still hovering above it.
        4. I literally twist my neck and get down at eye level with the cookie sheet when I'm pressing out the cookies so I can see when to stop pressing and lift the press off the sheet. I usually get one or two that are too much dough and one or two that are too little, then I get into a rhythm with them.
        5. Stop pressing the dough out and wait a beat before you lift the press up. That one little second of waiting seems to really help to set the cookie shape and allow the dough to release from the press.

        So the rhythm goes: Cookie press resting flat on cookie sheet, press dough out, stop, then lift.

        Let me know if these tips help and how the cookies turn out for you!

        Thanks for reading!

        Debra

        Reply
    2. Amy

      December 13, 2019 at 6:13 pm

      My mom had this cookie press and it is literally held together with masking tape. I just bought replacement parts for hers along with a duplicate full set on eBay in case I can’t get hers working. It looks like it was never used. I bought several manual presses last year and broke 3 of them (a Wilton, Pampered chef, and Nordic). The OXO worked but spritz cookies were exhausting. My mom also used a old Betty Crocker Butter Cookie recipe so a press with power is needed. I don’t understand why in 2019 I need to locate a cookie press from the 70’s. She’s been gone since 2010 so I’m excited to resurrect this tradition.

      Reply
      • Debra

        December 14, 2019 at 1:19 pm

        Hi Amy!

        I agree there should be a GOOD, POWERFUL cookie press available from this century! Maybe that's our startup idea?!?!? LOL! My aunt and cousin both use the OXO and like it a lot. But yes, it does take a lot of elbow grease to use a manual cookie press. Let me know how your eBay purchase works for you and how the cookies turn out. I hope this will bring back fond memories of your mom. Happy Holidays!

        Reply
    3. Lynn

      December 07, 2018 at 8:38 am

      Hello! My mom had a similar version of this press and there was a recipe in the booklet for Ginger Pillows. The
      booklet was lost. Any chance that recipe is in your booklet? If yes, would you be willing to send to me? It would bring back fond memories of making spritz with my mom. Thank you!

      Reply
      • finefoodsblog

        December 10, 2018 at 6:00 pm

        Hi Lynn,

        I've checked the recipe book, and there are no ginger pillows in there - the Spritz aren't even in it! The only cookies are peanut butter with chocolate chips, lemon sugar cookies, and chocolate cookies. (And deviled ham canapés, if you're interested...)

        If you do find a recipe for them, please share. Those sound delicious.

        Hope you have a great holiday season,

        Debra

        Reply
        • Lynn

          December 11, 2018 at 5:03 pm

          Thanks, Debra! I found the recipe book on eBay and the seller confirmed it has the Ginger Pillows! When I receive the book I’ll make the cookies and see if they are as I remember. I will gladly share the recipe,

          Happy holidays and thank you again for your reply! 🙂

          Lynn

          Reply
          • finefoodsblog

            December 13, 2018 at 12:15 pm

            Hi Lynn,

            That's great news!

            Looking forward to seeing how the cookies turn out!

            Happy holidays to you too!

            Debra

            Reply
          • Ann Marie

            December 29, 2018 at 8:58 am

            5 stars
            Lynn, how did the ginger pillow recipe turn out? I cannot locate my booklet with the recipe, and have been searching since 2010. My super shooter ll died a few years ago, after 15 delicious years together creating lots of love. My nephew gifted a cruisinart press that turned out to be GREAT disappointment. I would be extremely grateful if you could send me a copy of the recipe. I will continue to search for another super shooter gunif possible. They don't make things like they used to. Hope you had and are still having a fabulous holiday

            Reply
            • finefoodsblog

              January 05, 2019 at 8:56 am

              Hi Lynn,

              If you find a good cookie press, let me know. I had a reader reach out to me on Instagram that said she had a couple of bad ones, too. I'd love to know a good brand that I could recommend to readers in the post. Hope you find a good one and can make the cookies!

              Debra

            • finefoodsblog

              January 05, 2019 at 8:58 am

              Hi Ann Marie,

              If you find a good cookie press, could you let me know what it is? I had a reader reach out to me on Instagram that said she had a couple of bad ones, too. I'd love to know a good brand that I could recommend to readers in the post. Hope you find a good one and can make the cookies!

              Debra

            • Matt Brown

              December 08, 2019 at 9:14 am

              You can fine a Wearever Super Shooter on ebay with the original recipe booklet.

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Hi, I'm Debra! I love to cook and eat and travel, and cook the things I eat when I travel! I'm a detail-oriented Virgo, so it's my jam to simplify recipes and break them down into easy to follow steps. I help you bring the world to your table!

    More about me →

    Subscribe To My Enewsletter

    Get my new, and tried and true, recipes delivered to your inbox! Subscribe now!

    Gluten Free Recipes

    • Pimento cheese dip in a red bowl on a round wooden tray, surrounded by butter crackers, carrot sticks, and corn chips. A gold spoon is on the lower left, a red and white striped towel is on the upper left.
      Pimento Cheese Dip
    • A piece of salmon topped with creamy dill sauce and garnished with fresh dill and lemon zest.
      Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce
    • Vietnamese caramel chicken topped with cilantro and red chilis in a pan with blue handles. A gold spoon rests in the pan sauce toward the bottom right.
      Vietnamese Caramel Chicken
    • Spicy asian broccoli on a white plate drizzled with a spicy sauce that is reddish-brown in color.
      Asian Broccoli

    Search more gluten-free recipes

    Trending Recipes

    • A woman's hands are shown preparing a salt baked whole fish, she stuffs a whole fish with lemon, lime and fresh herbs.
      Salt Baked Fish
    • Chicken thighs topped with a caper lemon sauce on a white plate.
      Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Capers, and Lemon
    • Two campari and soda cocktails with orange slices, a plate of nuts and two bottles in the background
      Campari and Soda
    • Boneless, skinless chicken thighs with mushrooms and white wine sauce in a blue casserole pan. Some fresh thyme is in the bottom right corner.
      One Pan Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and White Wine

    Chocolate Recipes

    • Gluten free triple chocolate cookies on a baking sheet.
      Gluten Free Triple Chocolate Cookies
    • A gluten free chocolate ganache tart topped with flaky sea salt on a pink plate.
      Gluten Free Chocolate Ganache Tart
    • Three white ramekins of chocolate mousse.
      Chocolate Mousse Recipe
    • Gluten free brownies with ganache icing dusted with cocoa powder on a white surface.
      Gluten Free Almond Flour Brownies

    French Recipes

    • Romaine Hearts salad with blue cheese, pears, and pecans on a white and gray plate.
      Romaine Hearts Salad with Blue Cheese, Pears, and Pecans
    • Mussels in white wine sauce with lemon wedges and parsley in a blue pan with a spoon in it.
      Mussels in White Wine Sauce (Moules Marinières)
    • French hot chocolate in a white cup with another cup and a blue bowl of chocolate in the background.
      French Hot Chocolate (Chocolat Chaud)
    • Several servings of eggs en cocotte with spinach and bacon in small cast-iron skillets and serving dishes are displayed on a wooden surface.
      Eggs en Cocotte (Baked Eggs)

    Hi, I'm Debra! I love to cook and eat and travel, and cook the things I eat when I travel! I'm a detail-oriented Virgo, so it's my jam to simplify recipes and break them down into easy to follow steps. I help you bring the world to your table!

    More about me →

    Subscribe To My Enewsletter

    Get my new, and tried and true, recipes delivered to your inbox! Subscribe now!

    Gluten Free Recipes

    • Chicken and cabbage with onions roasted on a sheet pan.
      Roast Chicken and Cabbage
    • Holubtsi—Ukranian cabbage rolls—topped with sour cream and fresh dill in a round pan. A wooden spoon is on the right.
      Ukranian Cabbage Rolls (Holubtsi)
    • A plate of fresh cranberry orange relish with orange zest on top and a gold spoon on the left side.
      Fresh Cranberry Relish
    • Tricolore salad in a white bowl with gold utensils.
      Tricolore Salad

    Search more gluten-free recipes

    Trending Recipes

    • A woman's hands are shown preparing a salt baked whole fish, she stuffs a whole fish with lemon, lime and fresh herbs.
      Salt Baked Fish
    • Chicken thighs topped with a caper lemon sauce on a white plate.
      Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Capers, and Lemon
    • Two campari and soda cocktails with orange slices, a plate of nuts and two bottles in the background
      Campari and Soda
    • Boneless, skinless chicken thighs with mushrooms and white wine sauce in a blue casserole pan. Some fresh thyme is in the bottom right corner.
      One Pan Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and White Wine

    Chocolate Recipes

    • Gluten free triple chocolate cookies on a baking sheet.
      Gluten Free Triple Chocolate Cookies
    • A gluten free chocolate ganache tart topped with flaky sea salt on a pink plate.
      Gluten Free Chocolate Ganache Tart
    • Three white ramekins of chocolate mousse.
      Chocolate Mousse Recipe
    • Gluten free brownies with ganache icing dusted with cocoa powder on a white surface.
      Gluten Free Almond Flour Brownies

    French Recipes

    • Romaine Hearts salad with blue cheese, pears, and pecans on a white and gray plate.
      Romaine Hearts Salad with Blue Cheese, Pears, and Pecans
    • Mussels in white wine sauce with lemon wedges and parsley in a blue pan with a spoon in it.
      Mussels in White Wine Sauce (Moules Marinières)
    • French hot chocolate in a white cup with another cup and a blue bowl of chocolate in the background.
      French Hot Chocolate (Chocolat Chaud)
    • Several servings of eggs en cocotte with spinach and bacon in small cast-iron skillets and serving dishes are displayed on a wooden surface.
      Eggs en Cocotte (Baked Eggs)

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Work With Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 Fine Foods Blog