Soft Spritz Cookies

I’ve never made spritz cookies before, but I sure have eaten them. They are always very delicious and soft and just a little flaky. I wanted to make a perfect recipe but I knew that I would have to start small and tweak it as I went. This is a fantastic recipe to start with and I might add a little more almond extract or more vanilla extract next time. Other than that, these cookies were easy to work with and baked perfectly (even without my trusty Silpat). One change I did make in the directions below was to dye the cookie dough before adding the dry ingredients. That way, it has more of a chance to incorporate and you don’t get chunks of dye like I did the first time.

Soft Spritz Cookies
Adapted from: All Recipes
Yields: 4 dozen cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract (more if desired)
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
food coloring (optional)

In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until smooth on medium speed using the paddle attachment. Beat in the egg and extracts. Add food coloring if desired (mixture will be darker than cookies will come out). In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt. Gradually add to the creamed mixture on low speed. Switch to the dough hook about halfway through the flour mixture.

Using a cookie press fitted with the disc of your choice, press as much dough as will fit into the tube. Follow manufacturer’s instructions on how to press and bake 2-inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 375˚F for 6-8 minutes until set (do not brown). Allow cookies to cool for 3-5 minutes on cookie sheet and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.