A classic Spritz Cookies Recipe, just like grandma makes! These are whole wheat, egg-free, easy, and beautiful!
When I think of spritz cookies, I think of the annual Christmas cookie-baking day at my grandmother’s house, where spritz cookies were always on the menu. Grandma would include these cookies in her cookie tins to give away as Christmas gifts to friends and family. You’ll find spritz cookies on many traditional American Christmas dessert tables, but it’s also a traditional German Christmas cookie (they call it Spritzgebäck).
Spritz cookies aren’t difficult to make, but they require a cookie press, which is relatively inexpensive—and a good investment, if you enjoy making pretty cookies. These cookies are quite pretty and will wow everyone you give them to. The classic buttery vanilla-almond flavors, lifted and brightened by lemon zest, are absolutely worth a new piece of baking equipment.
Are Spritz Cookies Healthy?
In a word: no. Spritz cookies aren’t full of chocolate, but they are full of butter, sugar, and flour. Like many Christmas confections, you’ll want to eat spritz cookies in moderation. These cookies are, however, egg-free, so they make a great gift for the folks in your life who have an egg allergy. To cut down on the sugar content, you can omit the sprinkles.
How To Use A Cookie Press
A cookie press is a simple machine that squeezes your cookie dough into cute shapes with relatively little effort. It’s like a caulk gun, but for cookie dough! There are a few things to know before you use a cookie press.
The first among them: Your dough needs to be the right consistency to use a cookie press. This recipe for spritz cookies is written for a cookie press, but recipes that aren’t written with a press in mind will not yield the right dough consistency for a cookie press to work. If you’re thinking about adding things like chopped nuts or raisins to this recipe, don’t! They will clog your cookie press.
Second: Don’t grease your cookie sheet. If the dough doesn’t stick to the pan while you’re pressing the cookies, the design won’t come out right.
Third: If it’s your first time using a cookie press, allow yourself time to practice. Using a cookie press is a technique that requires some skill, so you probably won’t nail it on your first cookie. Don’t be discouraged!
Fourth: Try to remove the air in the tube before you start pressing. Press your dough firmly into the tube while filling it, and squeeze out the air near the end of the tube before you press your first cookie.
How To Make Ahead And Store
You can store baked cookies at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 6 days. If you want to make the dough ahead of time, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days before you bake the cookies.
Serving Suggestions
Spritz cookies are a lovely part of a traditional Christmas cookie spread. You can consider giving these out in cookie bags alongside these Peppermint Gluten-Free Chewy Sugar Cookies, some Healthy Ginger Snaps, and a couple Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t bake more than one type of cookie in a day, spritz cookies go fine on their own as an after-dinner sweet or dipped in your morning Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons powdered sugar sifted
- 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk at room temperature
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour sifted (130 grams)
- Sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, powdered sugar, and cornstarch, using an electric mixer, on low speed until well mixed. Mixture will be crumbly.
- Add in the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt, and beat on medium speed for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Gradually beat in the almond milk, and then beat for 1 minute on high speed.
- Fold the sifted flour in, 1/2 cup at a time, until a dough forms.
- Spoon the dough into the cookie press and press cookies onto 2 ungreased cookie sheets. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.
- Bake until just lightly golden brown, about 10-11 minutes. Immediately transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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