Almond Spritz Cookies
Spritz cookies are a traditional Christmas cookie that have been around for ages. The name comes from the German word spritzen which means “to squirt” . The cookies are made by extruding, or “squirting” the dough through a cookie press. My mother made Spritz cookies every year with her Mirro Cookie Press, and I still make them every year as they are a favorite!
The intense almond flavor and festive pressed Christmas tree shape make these little cookies a perfect addition to a holiday cookie platter. I snapped a photo of the original “Christmas Tree” recipe from my mother’s Mirro Cookie Press cookbook and posted it below. You can see her notes for tripling the recipe, which was the norm in our house. I use this recipe as a guide, often replacing the shortening with room temperature butter or margarine.
I make these with more almond extract than listed in the original recipe as I really love the almond flavor. This year, I skipped the food coloring, opting for pretty sprinkles instead. When I make these cookies I always double the recipe. This ensures plenty for family holiday events and to share with friends.
The Cookie Press
You will need a cookie press for these fun cookies. We usually make Christmas trees, but you can also make beautiful wreaths as well. My mother found an original aluminum Mirro cookie press at a yard sale and gifted it to me 30 years ago. That press is no longer with us, so I now use a Wilton Cookie Pro Ultra II cookie press. It is super easy to use and easy to clean. If you don’t have a cookie press, you can roll the dough into a log, roll the log in sprinkles, and chill. Slice into festive circles and bake! The year our Mirro broke, we found ourselves using this option.
Storage
Spritz cookies stay fresh for quite a long time. We make these early in December, and they are still perfect well into the New Year. Leftovers, if there are any, are placed in ziploc bags and frozen. They freeze exceptionally well and thaw quickly, allowing you to enjoy a sweet holiday treat any time.
Almond Spritz Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, shortening or margerine
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1½ tsp almond extract
- food coloring optional
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2½ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Cream butter/shortening/margarine with a mixer. Add sugar gradually.
- Add egg, almond extract, food coloring (optional) and the remaining dry ingredients. Mix until batter is smooth. Dough will be easy to handle.
- Fill your cookie press with dough. Press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheets. Top with sprinkles, colored sugar, etc. if desired.
- Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes. Watch closely. These may take up to 12 minutes depending on the size of the cookie.
- Cool on racks and store in airtight containers or tins. These cookies also freeze well.
- *If you don't have a cookie press, you can roll these into a log, roll the log in sugar or sprinkles, then slice the cookies into circles. Depending on the size, you may need to adjust the baking time.
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