Description
Magical holiday spritz cookies bring pure joy to festive celebrations with their delicate, buttery charm. Crisp, golden edges and delightful shapes invite you to savor classic Christmas cheer in each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup (224 g / 8 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 ¼ cups (293 g / 10.4 ounces) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (155 g / 5.5 ounces) granulated sugar
Binding and Flavoring Ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Decorative Ingredients:
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Red gel icing color, optional
- Green gel icing color, optional
- Sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Transform your kitchen into a festive cookie workshop by positioning an oven rack in the middle and heating to 350°F. Arrange silicone baking mats across sturdy sheet trays, creating a perfect landing zone for delicate spritz cookies.
- In a spacious mixing vessel, whip butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes cloud-like and voluminous, developing a pale, creamy texture that signals optimal incorporation.
- Introduce a single egg into the butter mixture, blending thoroughly. Follow with vanilla and almond extracts, stirring until the liquid elements merge seamlessly into a uniform consistency.
- Sift flour and salt gradually into the wet ingredients, folding with gentle motions. Mix until a cohesive dough forms, being cautious not to overwork the delicate mixture.
- For vibrant presentation, partition the dough into separate sections. Gently massage gel food coloring through each portion, creating soft, even hues without compromising the dough’s tender structure.
- Load a cookie press with dough, selecting decorative discs to create intricate shapes. Press cookies directly onto prepared baking surfaces, positioning them with minimal spacing since they maintain their precise geometric design.
- Embellish uncooked cookies with festive sprinkles, allowing them to nestle lightly onto the dough’s surface before baking.
- Slide trays into the preheated oven, monitoring closely. Bake for 6-7 minutes until edges display a gentle golden hint, indicating perfect doneness without excessive browning.
- Remove cookies and allow them to rest momentarily on the baking sheet, enabling slight firming. Transfer to wire cooling racks, letting them reach room temperature before arranging in an airtight container for preservation.
Notes
- Chill butter briefly before creaming to achieve the perfect soft but not melted consistency for smooth cookie texture.
- Use room temperature egg to ensure even blending and prevent potential cookie dough separation during mixing.
- Select gel food coloring for vibrant, concentrated colors without altering dough consistency or adding extra liquid.
- Press cookie dough into spritz machine or cookie press when it’s cool and firm for clean, precise cookie shapes.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to wire rack to prevent breaking delicate edges.
- Store decorated spritz cookies in single layers between parchment paper to maintain intricate design and prevent crushing.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 95
- Sugar: 3.2g
- Sodium: 0.1mg
- Fat: 5.3g
- Saturated Fat: 3.4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11.5g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 12mg