Buttery Spritz Cookie Recipe – Classic Holiday Cookies

Last Updated on December 16, 2024

When Sarah from Room For Tuesday asked me to participate in her Holiday Cookie Recipe Swap Blog Hop, I knew I had to dig out my Great Aunt Idella’s buttery spritz cookies recipe. It’s a classic holiday butter cookie recipe that blows all others away. So grab your stretchy pants, put on some holiday music, and let’s get into it. Don’t forget, this is a blog hop, so be sure to check out all the cookie recipes linked at the bottom of this post. Also, be sure to try Chocolate Peppermint Cripsies and Lemon Cherry Holiday Bars.

Classic Holiday Spritz Cookies Recipe

Baking these delicious spritz cookies is a holiday tradition from my childhood—a classic melt-in-your-mouth buttery flavored cookie. As a kid, I’d leave a plate of different cookies for Santa in hopes he’d return twice. These classic spritz cookies were always included on the cookie platter. Every holiday season, I’d stand on my little wooden stool, helping my mom mix and watching her curse at the cookie press…incidentally, she also broke her toe on that little stool. I learned a lot of new words that day. That stool now sits in my son’s room, and I chuckle whenever I see it. Believe me when I say I watch my toes around it.

But back to the recipe. If you mix the spritz cookie dough with an electric stand mixer, the manual cookie press won’t break a sweat. However, if you mix by hand, you can eat the bite-sized cookies without guilt and skip the gym. Just sayin’, you will work your arms.

First things first, you want to make sure you have a good spritz cookie press. I’ve looked into purchasing an electric cookie press, but they just don’t have the torque you need for the thick dough. And believe me, with this much flour, this dough is thick. The best manual cookie presses I’ve found are Marcato Cookie Press Set and OXO Cookie Press (a more affordable option, but patience is needed). Both come with multiple discs for different shapes, like Christmas trees, stars, and wreaths.

Ingredients & Full Recipe Instructions

2 cups of room temperature unsalted butter (yes, 4 sticks)

1 cup of sugar

2 egg yolks

1 tsp of vanilla extract (I like to add an extra splash)

4 cups of all purpose flour

Holiday sprinkles

Spritz Cookies Baking Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla.
2. Slowly mix the flour to stiffen on medium speed (use the paddle attachment).
3. Pick your design, and load up your cookie press with dough.
4. Press cookies with various shapes onto a Silpat, parchment paper, or greased cookie sheets.
5. Add the holiday sprinkles of your choice.
6. Bake at 370º for 8-10 minutes.
7. Let the baked cookies cool on a wire rack.
8. Remove from the cooling rack and store in an airtight container. 

If you’re a first time baker of sprizt cookies, I wanna share a couple of things I’ve learned over the years. Only use the egg yolk and not the whites. I’ve made that mistake, and believe me, they don’t taste the same. Add the Christmas sprinkles before popping them into the oven. Unless you’re frosting, the sprinkles don’t stick.

Add green food coloring to a portion of the batch to make your Christmas tree and wreath designs. Use different colors for different designs. 

If you really wanna jazz your spritz cookies up, grab some chocolate chips for extra calories. Once cool, drizzle melted chocolate over them. 

Once they’re out of the oven, cool and enjoy. I also like to make multiple batches since they freeze well too, but these are so melt in your mouth good that I rarely have leftovers.

Be sure to visit all the other talented bloggers listed below. I’m so excited to check out all the yummy recipes myself. There’s another recipe for butter cookies that I need to try and compare to Idella’s. 

Now, if you excuse me, I have to finish my holiday decorating around the house. I’m throwing my annual neighborhood mom party in a couple of weeks, and I’m scurrying about. So many things to prep for. I’ve got wreaths that need to be hung, new garland for the mantle, and I’ve just loaded up the clam on the dining room table with vintage ornaments. You can see all my tacky Christmas tree decor here. Also, be sure to check out Sarah’s peanut butter thumbprint cookies recipe from a few years ago. They’re delicious! 

Room For Tuesday – Butter Spritz Cookies without a cookie press

Renovation Husbands – Brown Sugar Cookies

Francois et Moi – English Toffee

Yellow Brick Home – Buckeyes

Brepurposed – Dark Chocolate Orange, Rosemary & Sea Salt Cookies

Laine & Layne – Brown Sugar Cinnamon Frosted Cookies

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