Buttery and delicate with a hint of crispy golden edges, this Spritz Cookie Recipe melts in your mouth! With irresistible flavor and only five ingredients, it’s no wonder they are such a classic Christmas Cookie. This tried and true recipe is perfect for cookie exchanges and has earned its place on holiday cookie trays!
Want To Save This Recipe For Later?
I'll email it right to you. Plus you’ll get delicious new recipes from me each week!
You’ll Love Spritz Cookies
Aside from maybe a classic gingerbread cookie recipe, these are quintessential Christmas cookies. For many, they bring the flavor and memories of Christmas past. One of my favorite things about this Spritz Cookie Recipe is that you can make a large number of them very quickly.
Why You’ll Love This Spritz Cookie Recipe:
- Only five ingredients are needed!
- Need a lot of cookies? This recipe makes seven dozen cookies!
- Don’t need seven dozen cookies right now? No worries, they freeze wonderfully.
- No decorating needed. Sprinkles can be added before baking, but it is perfectly fine to leave them off.
- Change the shape of your cookies with different discs for your spritz cookie press.
Spritz Cookie Ingredients
This is a discussion about the ingredients. For the actual recipe with amounts, please see the recipe below.
- Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter for this recipe. Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature, and please do not use margarine in this recipe.
- Sugar – You’ll need granulated white sugar.
- Egg – Use a large egg, preferably at room temperature.
- Vanilla extract – I highly recommend using pure vanilla extract. This recipe has so few ingredients that the quality of each and every ingredient has an impact on the end result. To switch up the flavor, you can also use rum extract, almond extract, or any other flavor that strikes your fancy.
- All-purpose flour – Make sure to properly measure your flour, especially for these pressed cookies. See my tips below on how to do that.
- Colored sugar or sprinkles (optional) – Sugar crystal sprinkles work well on top, but you can also use jimmies or nonpareils. I also like to stick some large round sprinkles in the center for a flower look.
Measure Flour Correctly
For the best results, make sure to measure flour correctly using the following steps:
- Fluff the flour by giving it a stir. This will aerate it so that it’s not compacted.
- Using a spoon, spoon flour into a measuring cup until it’s overflowing. Do not scoop the flour with the measuring cup as this will compact it, giving you more than you need.
- Level the flour using a flat edge, such as a butter knife or spoon handle.
Following these steps helps to avoid adding too much flour to the recipe, which can result in dry and dense baked goods. If measuring by weight this should be in the 125-135 gram range. Get all my flour tips, tricks and info here!
How To Make Spritz Cookies
This is just a visual overview of how this recipe is made to help you visualize the process. For the actual recipe directions with full details, please see the recipe card below.
Step 1: Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix to combine.
Step 2: Add flour; mix on low speed just until blended.
Step 3: Add dough to a cookie press. Press onto a baking sheet.
Step 4: Add sprinkles, then bake until golden brown. Let them cool and enjoy!
Christi’s Tips For Success!
Practice Makes Perfect – I always recommend doing a few practice presses of cookies to get the feel for it. You have to find the right pressure to get the perfect cookies. Just scrape up the practice cookies and add them back to the press once you get it down.
Sticking to the Sheet – You have to press the cookie dough straight onto the baking sheet so they stick. Don’t grease the sheet or line it with parchment, though a silicone sheet will work. The dough does need to be a bit tacky and works best when it’s warm.
Make Them Your Own – A great thing about this spritz cookie recipe is that you can get creative with it! Want to make green and red cookies? Add some food coloring after creaming together the butter and sugar. Dipping them in some melted chocolate and letting them cool is also a great option to switch things up!
Recommended Tools
- Spritz Cookie Press: This is become my favorite cookie press over the years.
- Discs: You can even buy Christmas shaped discs for it, though the standard ones will work just fine.
- Silicone Mat: I do prefer to use a silicone mat for this recipe.
Storage Tips
Storage: You can store the Spritz Cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for about a week. Layer the cookies with sheets of parchment or wax paper. I like to throw a slice of white bread in the container with the cookies to keep them soft and buttery for as long as possible.
More Christmas Cookies To Try
If you enjoyed this Spritz Cookie recipe, here are some other recipes I think you’ll enjoy!
Spritz Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups butter (softened)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- Colored sugar or sprinkles (optional)
- Candies for the centers of cookies (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed of electric mixer about 3 minutes or until creamy, scraping down sides as necessary.
- Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Add flour; mix on low speed just until blended, scraping down sides as necessary. (Dough will be soft; do not refrigerate.)
- Fit your cookie press with the desired disk and fill with dough. Press dough onto a cookie sheet, approximately 1 in. apart. Decorate cookies with colored sugar or sprinkles, if desired.
- Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool cookies 2 minutes on Cookie Sheet; remove to cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Want To Save This Recipe For Later?
I’ll email it right to you. Plus you’ll get delicious new recipes from me each week!
Photos below are from the original Spritz Cookie Recipe post in 2013. Post updated October, 2026 with revised text and new photos, but recipe remains the same.
Meet Christi, Love From The Oven
I’m Christi I love sharing easy & delicious recipes that your family & friends will love. I’m a mom, baker, cookbook author and lover of sprinkles.
The recipe was great!!!
Can you tell me how you keep the colored sugars and nonparels on the cookies? It seems when I sprinkle mine with decorations they do not stay on. Do you put a glaze on the cookies first?
I used to make these cookies about 30 or 40 years ago but made them with Crisco do you have a recipe for the Crisco I would prefer that than the butter…
Christi,
I’m so glad that I read the entire article. When I was a little girl, the lady next door made these. When I grew up I tried to make them and wasn’t successful. Your hints are very informative. Like beating sugar and butter well, and also the ingredients at room temperature. The other thing is not to refrigerate before baking. I can’t wait to try making the spritz with your recipe.
Hi Judie, I’m so glad you found the post informative, hopefully you’ll be enjoying some delicious spritz cookies soon!
I used the pampered chef cookie press. And the dough stuck to the press. This has been an on going problem. Suggestions? I’m
Yes! Great recipe. But I asked for a r Cupertino using cream cheese.
Where did you find the cute gift boxes for the cookies??
Been looking for a sliding one like that forever!
Thanks,
TIffany
Sound like a yummy new tradition.