Perfect for the holidays, these Almond Spritz Cookies have the perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture and a deliciously light almond flavor. Plus, they double as decorations with their fun holiday pressed cookie shapes!
This spritz cookie recipe is the only one you need this holiday season, with just 7 ingredients and a few simple steps. Butter, flour, sugar, and egg are all you need for the base, and the light almond flavor comes from a combination of pure almond and vanilla extracts. Add gel food coloring for color, and don't forget sprinkles for an extra fun festive touch!
Similar to making these Christmas shortbread cookies and traditional anise cookies, I love that these almond spritz cookies are as easy and quick to make and let me tell you...they are so delicious! Within 30 minutes, you'll have a batch cooling on the countertop just waiting to be eaten. So, dust off your cookie press and find your favorite holiday shapes to whip up a batch of these almond spritz cookies.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
1. This simple recipe uses only 7 ingredients to make festive and delicious holiday pressed cookies.
2. You probably have these basic ingredients sitting in your pantry, making these a perfect last-minute holiday dessert to whip together!
3. These are quick to make since there is no chilling required. Just mix, press, and bake!
Ingredients You'll Need
- Flour - I've only made this recipe using white, all-purpose flour. I do not recommend using any other type of flour for this recipe. You may be able to use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour, but I haven't tried it to verify if it creates the same texture. Do not use self rising flour.
- Egg - use the whole egg to help bind the ingredients.
- Vanilla Extract - pure vanilla extract adds a light vanilla taste.
- Almond Extract - this is what gives the almond spritz cookies their unique flavor!
- Sugar - use pure, white granulated sugar.
- Butter - use softened to room temperature.
- Gel Food Coloring - this is optional, but the gel food coloring is what I recommend for making your cookies fun and festive colors.
Be sure to see the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and directions!
Variations
- Flavor Extract - While almond extract is traditional and delicious, you can swap the almond for other flavored extracts for variety. You can find traditional extracts like lemon, orange, or maple in stores, but when shopping online or in specialty baking stores, you can find other fun flavors like cake batter or cheesecake!
- Decorating - Use any gel food coloring you like, or skip the coloring and just decorate with sprinkles or melted chocolate.
- Cookie Shapes - You can also use any cookie press shape. This pressed cookie recipe works for Halloween, Valentine's Day, birthdays, and more!
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract in a standing mixer.
Step 2-3: Using the paddle attachment on the standing mixer, beat for about 3-4 minutes on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. The consistency will change and become slightly thick and fluffy.
Expert Tip: If you use a food coloring gel, make sure to add it during this step.
Step 4-5: Reduce the speed on the mixer to low. Slowly add 1 ¼ cup of flour in batches into the wet mixture and continue to beat until well combined.
Step 6-7: Using a spoon, put the dough into a cookie press according to the instructions and place the desired shaped cookie disc on the press. Press the dough onto the baking sheet, spacing the cooking about ½ inch apart.
Step 8-10: If you plan to decorate the cookies with sprinkles, add them during this step.
Step 11: Bake for 7-8 minutes or just until the cookies start to turn a slight golden brown color. They don't take long to bake, so keep your eye on them to prevent overcooking.
When done, put the cookies on a wire rack to cool. Once they cool, they are ready to enjoy! I recommend placing these front and center on a pretty platter -- no one can resist these almond spritz cookies!
Recipe FAQs
Hard spritz cookies could be from beating the flour into the sugar for too long. You want to mix the ingredients until they are combined, without over mixing. They could also turn out hard if you over bake them. Remove the almond spritz cookies from the oven when they are just turning golden brown.
Spritz cookies can become flat when they bake if the ratio of sugar, flour, and butter is off. I recommend spooning the butter into the measuring cup and being cautious of the amount of sugar you're using as well. Baking is a science!
Expert Tips
- The amount of butter in the cookies should keep the cookies from sticking to any non-stick baking sheet, but you can also use a silicone baking mat to make sure they come off easily.
- If your cookies won't stick to the pan out of the cookie press, make sure the pan is cool and not warm. A cool pan helps them come out of the press and onto the pan more easily.
- You want to use room temperature butter and make sure your dough is room temperature, as well. If it's too cold, it won't push through the cookie press easily and you'll have to wait for it to come back to room temperature.
- Unlike sugar cookies that are iced with sprinkles added, you want to add your sprinkles to these spritz cookies before you bake them. This way, the sprinkles will stick to the cookies.
- Spritz cookies will stay fresh for 3-4 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If you want to store them longer, place them in an airtight freezer bag for up to 3 months. Just remove and let thaw before serving.
Other Christmas Recipes You'll Love!
If you tried these Almond Spritz Cookies or any other recipes on my website, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing from you! And, please leave a 🌟 rating while you're there!
📧 Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter so that you don’t miss out on any of my delicious recipes!
Almond Spritz Cookie Recipe
Equipment
- cookie press
Ingredients
- 8 Tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
- 6 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1¼ cup all purpose flour
- sprinkles, optional
- food coloring gel, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a standing mixer, combine 8 Tablespoons of butter, 6 Tablespoons of sugar, 1 egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract.
- Using the white whip attachment, beat on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.Expert Tip: If you are using a food coloring gel, add it in during this step.
- Reduce the speed to low. Slowly add in 1 ¼ cup of flour in batches into the wet mixture and continue to beat until well combined.
- Using a spoon, put the dough into a cookie press according to the instructions and place on the desired shaped cookie disc.
- Press the dough out onto the baking sheet, spacing the cooking about ½ inch apart.Expert Tip: If you plan to decorate the cookies with sprinkles, add them during this step.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes or just until the cookies start to turn a slight golden brown color.
- When done, put the cookies on a wire rack to cool.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The amount of butter in the cookies should keep the cookies from sticking to any non-stick baking sheet, but you can also use a silicone baking mat to make sure they come off easily.
- If your cookies won't stick to the pan out of the cookie press, make sure the pan is cool and not warm. A cool pan helps them come out of the press and onto the pan more easily.
- You want to use room temperature butter and make sure your dough is room temperature, as well. If it's too cold, it won't push through the cookie press easily and you'll have to wait for it to come back to room temperature.
- Unlike sugar cookies that are iced with sprinkles added, you want to add your sprinkles to these spritz cookies before you bake them. This way, the sprinkles will stick to the cookies.
- Spritz cookies will stay fresh for 3-4 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If you want to store them longer, place them in an airtight freezer bag for up to 3 months. Just remove and let thaw before serving.
Barbara J Church-meehan
the dough seemed to be to soft to go through he press looked like mush any suggestions
Amanda Mason
Did you make the recipe and try to put it through the press? It should be the perfect consistency. You can always chill it in the refrigerator for several minutes to make it more firm.
Amy
Just like I remember from my childhood! This was a favorite then and still is now. Thanks for the tip about making sure the pan is cool before adding the dough from the press. It worked perfectly!
Amanda Mason
So glad it worked so well for you!!
Amy Liu Dong
It looks so adorable! Can’t wait to make this on Christmas eve!
Amanda Mason
Let me know how they turn out!