Mouthwatering Vanilla Spritz Cookies

Finding a reliable cookie recipe that looks impressive but doesn’t require any fancy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients can feel impossible. Most cookies either turn out too plain for special occasions, or they demand so much time and effort that you end up stressed instead of enjoying the baking process.

That’s where these vanilla spritz cookies come in. They’re buttery, tender, and absolutely beautiful when pressed through a cookie press, but the dough comes together in minutes with simple pantry staples. Plus, you can customize them with food coloring and sanding sugar to match any holiday or celebration, making them perfect for everything from Christmas cookie boxes to birthday parties.

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What Kind of Butter Should I Use?

For spritz cookies, you’ll want to stick with unsalted butter so you can control the salt level in your dough. Make sure your butter is at room temperature – this means it should be soft enough to leave an indent when you press it, but not melted or greasy. If your butter is too cold, your dough will be too stiff to pipe through the cookie press, and if it’s too warm, the cookies won’t hold their shape. European-style butter with higher fat content can make your cookies even richer and more flavorful, but regular unsalted butter from the grocery store works perfectly fine for this recipe.

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Options for Substitutions

These cookies are pretty straightforward, but here are some swaps you can make if needed:

• Almond extract: If you’re not a fan of almond flavor or don’t have any on hand, just use an extra 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract instead. You could also try lemon extract for a citrus twist.
• Egg yolk: In a pinch, you can use 1 tablespoon of sour cream or cream cheese instead of the egg yolk. This will still give you that rich texture spritz cookies need.
• Unsalted butter: Salted butter works fine – just skip the kosher salt in the recipe to avoid over-salting your dough.
• All-purpose flour: Don’t substitute the all-purpose flour with other types like cake flour or whole wheat, as spritz cookies need the structure that all-purpose provides to hold their shape when piped.
• Cornstarch: The cornstarch helps create that tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. If you’re out, you can use an extra 2 teaspoons of flour, though the cookies will be slightly less delicate.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with spritz cookies is using butter that’s too soft or melted, which makes the dough too loose to hold its shape when pressed through the cookie press – your butter should be at room temperature but still firm enough to hold a fingerprint.

If your cookies aren’t sticking to the baking sheet and keep coming off with the press, try using an ungreased, unlined baking sheet instead of parchment paper, as the dough needs a bit of grip to release properly from the press.

Another common issue is overmixing the dough after adding the flour, which develops too much gluten and makes the cookies tough instead of tender and crisp.

Finally, don’t overbake these delicate cookies – they should barely have any color on the edges and still look pale in the center when you remove them from the oven, as they’ll continue to firm up as they cool.

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What to Serve With Vanilla Spritz Cookies?

These buttery cookies are perfect alongside a cup of hot coffee, tea, or even a cold glass of milk for dunking. I love setting them out on a platter with other simple cookies like shortbread or sugar cookies when I’m having people over for dessert. They also pair really well with fresh berries and whipped cream if you want to make things a bit fancier, or you can serve them with vanilla ice cream for an easy dessert. Since they’re not overly sweet, they work great as an afternoon snack or after-dinner treat without feeling too heavy.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your spritz cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. They actually stay really crisp and buttery, which makes them perfect for cookie tins or gift-giving during the holidays.

Freeze: These cookies freeze wonderfully for up to 3 months. Just layer them between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-safe container. You can also freeze the dough itself if you want to bake fresh cookies later—just thaw it in the fridge overnight before using your cookie press.

Serve: Spritz cookies taste best at room temperature, so there’s no need to reheat them. If you’re serving frozen cookies, just let them sit out for about 10 minutes and they’ll be ready to enjoy with your coffee or tea.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1200-1300
• Protein: 12-15 g
• Fat: 65-75 g
• Carbohydrates: 140-155 g

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 2 tsp cornstarch (helps create tender, delicate cookies)
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla for best flavor)
• 1.25 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

For Toppings (optional):

• food coloring (optional, for vibrant cookie colors)
• sanding sugar (optional but recommended for sparkle and crunch)

Step 1: Prepare Equipment and Mise en Place

• baking sheet
• all ingredients

Preheat your oven to 350°F and place a baking sheet in the freezer—the cold surface is essential for crispy, well-defined cookie shapes from the press.

While the oven heats, measure out all your ingredients and set them on the counter at room temperature, with your egg yolk specifically at room temperature for better emulsification with the butter and sugar.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Build the Base

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the softened butter alone for 3-5 minutes until it’s pale and fluffy—this incorporates air, which creates tender cookies.

Add the granulated sugar and continue beating for another 3-5 minutes until the mixture is light and creamy.

I like to scrape down the bowl halfway through to ensure everything is evenly combined.

Step 3: Incorporate Egg and Extracts

• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract

Add the room-temperature egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the butter-sugar mixture.

Beat for 2-3 minutes until fully combined and the mixture looks smooth and creamy.

The egg yolk acts as a binder and adds richness, while the extracts provide the signature delicate vanilla-almond flavor that makes spritz cookies so special.

Step 4: Mix in Dry Ingredients and Add Color

• 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• food coloring

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and kosher salt in a separate bowl.

Add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined and smooth—don’t overmix, as this can make the cookies tough.

At this point, add a few drops of food coloring if desired and mix briefly until the color is evenly distributed.

The dough should be smooth and pipeable but not sticky.

Step 5: Press Cookies onto Chilled Pan

• dough from Step 4
• cold baking sheet from Step 1
• sanding sugar

Fill your cookie press with the dough from Step 4 and pipe cookies onto the cold baking sheet from Step 1, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

The cold surface helps the cookies hold their shape beautifully.

If desired, immediately sprinkle sanding sugar onto each cookie for sparkle and a subtle crunch—I always recommend this step as it really elevates the final result.

Step 6: Bake and Cool

• baked cookies

Bake the cookies for 6-7 minutes until the edges are just lightly golden brown—the centers will look barely set, which is perfect as they’ll continue cooking slightly as they cool.

Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the baking sheet has cooled, place it back in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking your next batch, ensuring consistent results throughout.

Mouthwatering Vanilla Spritz Cookies

Delicious Mouthwatering Vanilla Spritz Cookies recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 11 minutes mins

Cook Time 24 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 1250 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the dough:

• 2 tsp cornstarch (helps create tender, delicate cookies)
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla for best flavor)
• 1.25 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

For Toppings (optional):

• food coloring (optional, for vibrant cookie colors)
• sanding sugar (optional but recommended for sparkle and crunch)

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and place a baking sheet in the freezer—the cold surface is essential for crispy, well-defined cookie shapes from the press. While the oven heats, measure out all your ingredients and set them on the counter at room temperature, with your egg yolk specifically at room temperature for better emulsification with the butter and sugar.
• In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the softened butter alone for 3-5 minutes until it's pale and fluffy—this incorporates air, which creates tender cookies. Add the granulated sugar and continue beating for another 3-5 minutes until the mixture is light and creamy. I like to scrape down the bowl halfway through to ensure everything is evenly combined.
• Add the room-temperature egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat for 2-3 minutes until fully combined and the mixture looks smooth and creamy. The egg yolk acts as a binder and adds richness, while the extracts provide the signature delicate vanilla-almond flavor that makes spritz cookies so special.
• Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and kosher salt in a separate bowl. Add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined and smooth—don't overmix, as this can make the cookies tough. At this point, add a few drops of food coloring if desired and mix briefly until the color is evenly distributed. The dough should be smooth and pipeable but not sticky.
• Fill your cookie press with the dough from Step 4 and pipe cookies onto the cold baking sheet from Step 1, spacing them about 1 inch apart. The cold surface helps the cookies hold their shape beautifully. If desired, immediately sprinkle sanding sugar onto each cookie for sparkle and a subtle crunch—I always recommend this step as it really elevates the final result.
• Bake the cookies for 6-7 minutes until the edges are just lightly golden brown—the centers will look barely set, which is perfect as they'll continue cooking slightly as they cool. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once the baking sheet has cooled, place it back in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking your next batch, ensuring consistent results throughout.