Best Vanilla Bean Spritz Cookies Recipes

MY FAVORITE SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2 or 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
• In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
• On low speed, beat in the flour and salt. Turn up to high speed and beat until completely combined.
• Follow cookie press manufacturer's directions to fit your cookie press with a decorative plate. Scrape some of the dough into your cookie press. Hold the cookie press perpendicular to the lined baking sheet and press out the cookies 2 inches (5 cm) apart. If desired, decorate the shaped cookie dough with sprinkles or press a chocolate chip into the center. Note: It's helpful to lightly brush the shaped cookie dough with water before adding sprinkles-this helps them stick.
• If the cookie dough becomes too soft as you work, chill the shaped cookie dough in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking.
• Bake until very lightly browned on the edges, 7-9 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, drizzle with melted chocolate.
• Cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
• In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar on medium-high until the mixture is superlight, fluffy and pale, about 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of the bowl and add in two eggs, one at a time, and vanilla extract and beat until everything is well combined, about 2 minutes.
• Add in dry ingredients and beat just to blend, about a minute. Load dough into cookie press and make shapes as desired, pushing dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and spacing cookies 1 inch apart.
• Beat remaining egg with 1 teaspoon water. Using a pastry brush, coat cookies with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar (pearl, sanding and colored sugars all work here), black or white sesame seeds, or poppy seeds. Bake until golden brown and baked through, 12 to 15 minutes.

ALMOND SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric mixer and a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add the egg and almond extract, and mix until well-combined and smooth.
• With speed still on low, gradually add both flours and the salt until just incorporated.
• Fill a cookie press with dough, or use a piping bag fitted with a decorative piping tip with a large opening (about 1/2-inch). Press or pipe the dough onto ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between cookies. Sprinkle cookies with decorative sugar or sprinkles.
• Bake until firm to the touch and golden brown at edges, 12 to 17 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool slightly, then use a spatula to remove cookies from the baking sheets when they're still warm (which is easier to do than when they've cooled completely).

PEPPERMINT-SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Whisk in vanilla. Glaze can be stored at room temperature, with plastic wrap pressed directly on surface, up to 3 days; whisk before using. (Makes 2 cups.)
• Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter with granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add yolk, flour, salt, peppermint extract, and milk; beat to combine.
• Fill a cookie press with dough and fit with a wreath disk. Press cookies directly onto unlined baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until just golden on edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Working in batches, add a drop of food coloring to a small amount of glaze (about 1/4 cup); use a toothpick to swirl a tiny bit. Dip tops of cookies in glaze, then turn glaze-sides up and place on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips to set. (As you dip, colors will become more combined and no longer look like swirls; change to fresh glaze at this point.) For additional "swirls," dip a toothpick in red glaze and drizzle over cookies. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.