Spritz Cookie Recipe (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

My mom’s classic Spritz Cookie Recipe is the only one you need! These bite-sized cookies are crunchy, sweet, and so festive thanks to a sprinkle of colored sugar.

Shortened from the German word “Spritzen,” which means “to squirt,” Spritz Cookies are the ones I remember mostly fondly from my childhood.

With Christmas music playing in the background, my mom would operate the cookie press, and all four of us kids would gather around, elbowing each other, to help decorate them with colored sugar and candies.

This is my grandma’s Spritz Cookie recipe and the one my mom always made when I was going up. It originally came out of The Christmas Cooky Book from the Wisconsin Electric Power Company and my grandma started making the cookies for Christmas in 1956.

More than six decades later, this Christmas cookie recipe remains a favorite in my family (and soon, I hope yours, too). Spritz Cookies are one of the best baking recipes for children to help bring to life. After parents press out the cookie shapes, younger sous chefs can add colored sugar and candies. Then all that’s left to do is bake the cookies to light, crispy perfection…and savor the sweet results and memories.

Recipe ingredients

Equipment and ingredient notes

• Cookie press: If you don’t own one yet, I highly recommend this OXO model, which comes with 12 different cookie press shapes.
• Shortening: This is what grandma’s Spritz Cookie recipe called for. Swap in an equal amount (1 cup) of butter for even more flavor.
• Almond or vanilla extract: Or any extract you desire, such as orange, lemon, rum, peppermint, or coconut.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, sift or vigorously whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a standing mixer with the paddle attachment at medium speed, or with an electric mixer, beat shortening and ¾ cup sugar.

2. Add egg and almond extract and beat well. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture until just combined.

3. Fill the cookie press with dough according to the manufacturer’s instructions and fit with the disk for the shape you want (snowflakes, Christmas trees, wreaths, etc.). Press cookies out directly onto ungreased cookie sheets. Piped dough that doesn’t look neat can be scraped off again and re-piped. If the dough becomes too sticky, refrigerate for 10 minutes.Sprinkle with colored sugar or decorate with candies as desired.

4. Bake until the edges are lightly golden and set, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet.

5. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield: This Spritz Cookie recipe makes about 60 one- or two-bite spritz cookies, depending on the size of your cookie press.
• Storage: Store extra Spritz cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Or, if you live in a cold climate, store them indefinitely in your chilly garage or patio.
• Make ahead: Spritz cookie dough can be made up to 2 days in advance. Wrap in parchment or waxed paper, place in an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to press and bake.
• Freezer: Spritz cookie dough freezes perfectly. Form into a disk, wrap well, label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight or at room temperature, then press and bake the cookies as directed. Check out myhow-to on freezing cookie doughfor more information.
• Source: This recipe is adapted from the “Mirro Cooky and Pastry” brochure that came with my mom’s cookie press.
• Customize your cookies: Colored sugar, small candy pieces, sprinkles, melted chocolate, and nonpareils are all fun ways to decorate Spritz cookies. You can also add drops of food color directly into the cookie dough for different colors of cookies. Some bakers like to brush the tops of their cookies with light corn syrup to help decorations adhere better.
• Spice Spritz: Add warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to your Spritz Cookies.
• More rainbow cookies: If you love colorful treats, try Confetti Cookies (made with a cake mix!), , or Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Bars.
• Fill your Christmas cookie plate: Whether you’re prepping for a holiday Cookie Exchange or hosting your own Baking Day, we’ve got plenty of classic Christmas cookies on Culinary Hill like Christmas Sugar Cookies, Molasses Cookies, Thumbprint Cookies, Linzer Cookies, Pizzelle, Gingerbread Cookies, White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies, Fruitcake Cookies, Peanut Butter Blossoms, and Snickerdoodles.
• Christmas candy: If you love making homemade candy, try Christmas Crack, No-Bake Peanut Butter Balls, Microwave Peanut Brittle, and Millionaire’s Shortbread (shortbread cookies with caramel and chocolate on top).