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Spritz cookies are wonderful any time of year, especially when flavored with favorite warming spices. Add these buttery cookies to your regular rotation!
Those of us of a certain age and upbringing spent many a December cranking out cookies through a cookie press, creating pile after pile of somewhat misshapen pine trees, snowflakes, and snowmen.
But why limit these buttery favorites to just Christmastime? Spritz cookies are wonderful any time of year.
I’ve packed these full of warming spices to bring them into fall, creating a nibble that is perfect alongside afternoon tea. You can lessen the spice if you want, but because spritz cookies are so rich, the spices help bring them back down.
Whether you’re an old hand at using a cookie press or just starting, give this recipe a try for a simple treat!
Ingredients for spritz cookies
Full list of ingredients with quantities is located in the recipe card.
You’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Whole wheat flour
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Egg
- Vanilla
- Spices: Cardamom, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and black pepper
- Salt
I like to use white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour in this recipe. It gives the cookies a bit of a nutty flavor. If you don’t have whole wheat flour on hand or simply prefer to not use it, you can swap it for more all-purpose flour.
The spices are optional here, but they’re what make these cookies special, so I do recommend them!
Equipment
You will need a cookie press to make this recipe. If you don’t have one, chances are your mom (or grandma!) has one in the back of a kitchen cabinet.
Cookie presses are generally the same in construction with a few slight differences. You can use any shape disc for these cookies, but I recommend using more basic shapes if you are new to making spritz cookies. There’s quite a wide variety of disc shapes out now, but keep in mind that not all brands are interchangeable and might not fit your specific press.
Buy Now โ How to make this recipe
Preheat the oven to 375ยฐF.
Prepare your cookie press: Make sure it is completely clean, load the cookie disc into the bottom, and remove the top from the loading area.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, spices, and salt until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
Mix in the flour(s) until fully incorporated. The dough should not be overly wet, nor too crumbly. If it seems sticky, chill for about 30 minutes before using. Don’t chill too long, or you won’t be able to press it!
Fill the tube of the cookie press, making sure to leave enough room to be able to reattach the top. Press the trigger until the dough reaches to the disc.
Hold the press directly vertical onto the cookie sheet, press the lever, and lift up to form a cookie. The cookie should stick to the pan, but you might need to do a few tester cookies to get the shape to form fully.
Repeat, leaving about 1 inch between cookies, until the cookie sheet is full. If any of the cookies lost their shape during pressing, you can gently push them back together before baking.
Use two cookie sheets and prepare the next pan of cookies while the first is baking. Make sure to let the pans cool a bit between batches to make it easier to press the cookies, and chill dough as needed.
Bake the cookies for 6-8 minutes, until the edges are just browned. Let them cool briefly on the pan and then transfer to a wire rack.
Repeat as needed until all the dough is used.
Storage tips
These cookies will keep very well at room temperature in an airtight container. Store them for up to 1 week for the best flavor and texture.
Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months (though they are best within 1 month). Freeze them in a flat container with sheets of parchment or waxed paper between the layers.
The dough can be made in advance and chilled 2-3 days in advance of baking, or frozen for up to 1 month. Frozen dough needs to be thawed in the refrigerator, and then refrigerated dough will need to warm up slightly at room temperature to be able to be pressed.
Recipe suggestions
Looking for other recipes to use your cookie press?
Try my iced gingerbread spritz cookies (my holiday favorite!) or Coffee Hazelnut Spritz Cookies.
Or, you can omit the spices in these cookies and add sprinkles or colored sugars just before baking for a classic holiday cookie. Use different shapes and sprinkles depending on the season!
You can also dip the cookies in melted chocolate, or sandwich two together with a small amount of buttercream. Spritz cookies are so simple that the options for making them special are practically endless.
Don’t wait for the Christmas cookie swap to make these cookies!
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It means so much when you enjoy my recipes, so let me know how it goes and leave a comment if you have any questions.
Spiced Spritz Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (12 tablespoons)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white whole-wheat flour
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375ยฐF. Prepare cookie press by making sure it is clean, loading the selected disc, and removing the top.
- Cream together butter, sugar, salt, and spices until light and fluffy, then beat in egg and vanilla.3/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 large egg, 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Mix in flours until incorporated and dough comes together. It should not be too wet or too crumbly. If the dough seems sticky, chill it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup white whole-wheat flour
- Fill cookie press, replace lid, and press cookies onto baking sheet by holding press directly on the sheet and pressing the lever. (You might need to do a few tester cookies to prime the press.) Repeat until press is empty, then refill and repeat.
- Bake cookies for 6-8 minutes, until edges are just browned. Let cool slightly before removing to a rack.
Notes
- The whole wheat flour can be substituted with more all-purpose flour in equal amount. If the dough appears too sticky, add just 1 tablespoon of additional flour.
- The individual spices can be swapped for 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.
- Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.
About Megan
I learned how to cook by exploring seasonal ingredients, and you can too! Meal time shouldn’t be stressful or complicated, and with fresh ingredients and easy methods, Iโm here to help you enjoy the time spent in the kitchen.ย Read moreโฆ
These sound so good! Love spicy cookies. Can you roll them in a log and cut them? I hate cookie presses.