Spritz buttery festive cookies (Printable)

Delicate buttery treats pressed into festive shapes, ideal for holidays or special occasions.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg, room temperature
04 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
05 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
06 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

→ Decoration (optional)

08 - Colored sanding sugar
09 - Chocolate for drizzling
10 - Sprinkles

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or use ungreased nonstick surfaces.
02 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using; mix until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add flour and salt, mixing while scraping down bowl sides, until a soft dough is formed.
05 - Fill cookie press with dough following manufacturer’s instructions. Press cookies onto prepared sheets spaced about 1 inch apart.
06 - Optionally decorate cookies with colored sanding sugar or sprinkles before baking.
07 - Bake for 7 to 9 minutes until edges just begin to turn golden brown.
08 - Allow cookies to rest on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Once cooled, drizzle melted chocolate over cookies if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're buttery and delicate without being fussy—one bowl, one mixer, no chilling required.
  • A cookie press transforms simple dough into impressive shapes that make people think you spent hours when you didn't.
  • They stay fresh for a week and taste just as good on day five as they do warm from the oven.
02 -
  • If your dough is too cold or stiff, it won't press smoothly—keep it at room temperature and don't refrigerate, no matter what other recipes tell you.
  • Watch the oven carefully during the last two minutes; these cookies go from perfect to overdone in a hurry, and overdone means brittle and sad.
03 -
  • Use very cold chocolate for drizzling if you want thin, elegant lines—melt it just until pourable and work quickly before it sets.
  • If you make these often, keep a jar of your favorite sanding sugar on hand; it makes the whole process feel less like baking and more like playing.
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