Spritz cookies are family favorites in this household, particularly during the Christmas season. And they are unusually easy to make. You simply run the cookie dough through a cookie press to shape the cookies.
I’ve had my cookie press for 25-plus years, and while many shape-templates came with the press, in time my family has gotten to the point where we use only one — the one pictured at the bottom of this photo, which results in a long ribbon cookie.
There’s something about the slight crispiness of the ribbon cookie that seems absolutely perfect for the almond-and-butter flavors. We cover the cookie sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle the cookies with a multi-colored nonpareil mix before baking.
Here’s my favorite Spritz cookie recipe, which I have modified slightly from a recipe that is in the 1974 edition of the Family Circle Cookbook. (My own copy of that cookbook is barely hanging together, with the binding secured with packing tape.)
2 c (1 lb) butter, softened
2 c sugar
4 egg yolks
1 t almond extract
1 t vanilla extract
5 c sifted all-purpose flour
1. Cream the butter until smooth. Gradually add the sugar, creaming well after each addition, until light.
2. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Stir in the almond and vanilla extracts.
4. Stir in the flour, one cup at a time, mixing well. I switch to a dough hook for the last two cups of flour.
5. Pack dough into the cookie press and press the dough out on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Sprinkle with colored sugars or nonpareils.
6. Bake at 350 degrees in oven, about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven when the cookies just begin to brown slightly on the edges.
7. Allow the cookies to cool five minutes on the cookie sheets before carefully moving them with a spatula to cool further on wire racks.
My cookie sheets accommodate a 13 to 14-inch ribbon of cookie. I enjoy putting out these long ribbons of cookies, which seem to catch a special attention with small children. But they can be cut on the cookie sheets immediately upon removing from the oven into more manageable lengths. Six inch lengths are still impressive on a plate but are less likely to break in transit.
Since I typically make these cookies at Christmas time, I use the leftover egg whites in royal frosting used on our traditional cookie-cutter sugar cookies.
