Holiday Butter Spritz Cookies Recipe

I can’t wait to share my Christmas Spritz Cookies made with almond extract and a clever cookie press tip that helps intricate shapes hold their detail through baking.

I always end up making these Holiday Butter Spritz Cookies when the holiday chaos starts. They look delicate but are crazy easy, and that almond extract gives them a quiet pop you didn’t know you needed.

Rich unsalted butter in the dough makes them melt at the edges, and they hold their shape so you can get silly with shapes and colors. I swear one bite makes you go back for another before you know it, and you’ll catch yourself hiding a batch, yeah I know bad habit.

Call them Butter Spritz Cookies if you want, but they’re dangerous.

Why I Like this Recipe

* i love how they kinda melt in my mouth, light but still hits the sweet spot
* theyre quick to throw together after school or before plans, so I actually get fresh cookies without wasting time
* decorating is fun and kinda addictive, they always end up looking way cuter than i’d expect
* they remind me of baking with family so they taste better, like the memories make them sweeter, no joke

Ingredients

• Rich in saturated fat, gives cookies tender crumb and buttery flavor, calories pile up
• Pure carbs, makes them sweet and crisp, no real nutrients, can spike blood sugar
• Adds protein and moisture, helps bind dough, adds a little richness and color too
• Tiny calories but huge aroma, lifts flavor and makes cookies smell homemade and cozy
• Intense nutty scent, a little goes a long way, gives a festive almond note
• Main carbohydrate, gives structure and chew, refined grain with less fiber than whole grain
• Pure decoration, adds color and crunch, mostly sugar so no nutrition, fun though

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (room temp, don’t overthink it)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temp
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, optional if dough seems dry
• About 1/4 cup colored sanding sugar or festive sprinkles for decorating, optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats, dont overthink it.

2. In a large bowl beat 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the sides once or twice.

3. Add 1 large room temp egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon almond extract, mix until combined and smooth.

4. Whisk together 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled) and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, then add to the butter mixture a little at a time, mixing just until incorporated, dont overmix or youll get tough cookies.

5. If the dough seems dry or crumbly add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream until dough is soft enough to pipe or press but not soupy; if it feels too soft chill 10 to 20 minutes so it holds shape.

6. Fit a cookie press with your favorite disk or transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip, then press or pipe cookies about 1 inch apart onto prepared sheets; dont overfill the press and keep pressure steady for even shapes.

7. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup colored sanding sugar or festive sprinkles on top while the dough is still soft, or press a few sprinkles into each cookie right after piping.

8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are set and bottoms are barely colored, rotate pans halfway through if your oven bakes unevenly; avoid browning them or theyll be dry.

9. Let cookies cool on the sheet for 1 to 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, they firm up as they cool so dont judge texture straight from the oven.

10. Repeat with remaining dough, chilling between batches if it warms, and store cooled cookies in an airtight container layered with parchment for up to a week or freeze for longer — they disappear fast so hide a few for yourself.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven, preheat to 350°F (175°C)
2. 2 rimmed baking sheets, lined with parchment paper or silicone mats dont overthink it
3. Large mixing bowl for creaming the butter and mixing dough
4. Electric mixer or stand mixer, or a sturdy wooden spoon if you wanna do it by hand
5. Measuring cups and spoons (including a 1 cup, 3/4 cup and teaspoons)
6. Whisk to combine the flour and salt
7. Rubber spatula / bowl scraper to get every last bit of dough out
8. Cookie press with disks or a piping bag fitted with a large star tip
9. Wire cooling rack and oven mitts for handling hot sheets

FAQ

Holiday Butter Spritz Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Unsalted butter => Stick vegan butter, 1:1. Use a firm, block-style vegan butter so the spritz press works; chill the dough a bit if it’s too soft. It’ll be slightly different in flavor but still buttery and tender.
• Granulated sugar => Light brown sugar, 1:1. Gives a touch more moisture and a caramel note, cookies are a little chewier and darker. If you want lighter flavor, use superfine/caster sugar instead.
• Large egg => Flax “egg”: 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water (let sit 5 min) or 3 tbsp aquafaba. Binds the dough well though texture is a bit more tender, you may need a splash of milk if dough seems dry.
• Almond extract => Swap with 1 tsp pure vanilla + 1/4 tsp almond extract or 1 tsp finely grated lemon/orange zest. Vanilla keeps it classic, citrus gives a bright festive twist, but don’t overdo the zest.

Pro Tips

– Get the butter texture right, not mushy. Press your finger in and you want a slight indent that springs back slowly, if it’s melted or too soft the cookies spread and lose detail, so chill the dough or the press for 10 to 20 minutes if it feels gummy.

– Weigh your flour if you can, it fixes more problems than almost anything else. Spoon and level works okay, but a kitchen scale keeps the dough from being dry or soupy so you dont keep adding milk and messing up the shape.

– Keep your press or piping consistent. Don’t overfill it, keep steady pressure and release quickly for clean shapes; if the dough warms up or gets sticky, pop the whole bowl in the fridge for a few minutes instead of fighting with the press.

– Watch the color not the clock. Pull them when the edges just look set and the bottoms are barely colored, they firm up as they cool; also cool a minute on the sheet before moving — they finish forming while they sit.