Classic Spritz Cookies

Classic Spritz Cookies are buttery, melt-in-your-mouth almond cookies – created in bright colors and topped with sprinkles – that are popular around Christmastime. These little cookies bring a fun bit of holiday cheer to lunchboxes, afternoon snacks or holiday dessert tables. 

This post is sponsored on behalf of #ChristmasCookiesWeek. The generous sponsors, YumGoggle, Sprinkle Pop, Silpat and Adams Extracts have provided us with products for recipe creation and a giveaway for our readers. As always, all opinions are my own.

This is a long one, Friends. Make sure you read the entire thing, to learn about our #ChristmasCookiesWeek giveaway, see my recipe for Classic Spritz Cookies, and find out what my blogger friends have made for you today.

Thank you to Ellen at Family Around the Table and Christie at A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures for hosting #ChristmasCookiesWeek, which kicks off today! We’ve got loads of great recipes for you this week, but first, we’re going to start off with some prizes from our sponsors. Check them out and be sure to enter the giveaway in the Rafflecopter, later this post.

Prize Package #1:

From Adams Extracts comes a selection of baking delights including their prize-winning pound cake mix, pure vanilla extract, pure peppermint extract, double strength pure vanilla extract, pound cake flavor extract and vanilla cinnamon sugar.

Adams traces its beginnings back to Battle Creek, Michigan, when John A. Adams began making and selling his Green Plant Sarsaparilla extract, Adamur, in 1888. In 1905, he moved his family to Beeville, TX. At the time, most vanilla was sold to pharmacies and was often labeled “Do not bake or freeze.” John A. Adams, whose imagination was stirred by his wife’s yearning for a flavoring that wouldn’t bake or freeze out, announced that he could produce a better vanilla than the one his wife was currently using. Working with just $6.71 worth of materials on top of an old icebox, John A. Adams discovered the formula he wanted.

Prize Package #2:

YumGoggle is giving away a variety of holiday and Christmas cookie cutters. The winner of this prize package will receive a sleigh, large ornament and two cookie cutter sets. The first is a mug/ sweater set called Ugly Sweater Specialty Cookie Cutter Set and the second is a Santa/ reindeer set called North Pole Specialty Cookie Cutter Set. Each set includes 2 cookie cutters, 2 templates, 2 instruction cars and 4 bonus templates.

The YumGoggle gallery features food photography from contributors around the world. If you’re looking for a recipe, chances are you’ll find it on YumGoggle. The photos not only whet your appetite but you can easily find the recipes by clicking the photo.

Prize Package #3:

The winner of this Sprinkle Pop prize package will get their choice of 3 sprinkle varieties, at $35.00 value. Winner will be contacted by or need to contact Sprinkle Pop for fulfillment.

Sprinkle Pop offers trendy sprinkle mixes that you won’t find anywhere else. Fun fact: Over 50% of their sprinkle mixes are dyed in house, making each experience one of a kind. Sprinkle Pop also creates one of a kind confetti shapes that are unique to their mixes. Make every occasion a festive one with these fun sprinkle creations.

Prize Package #4:

One winner will receive an 11 5/8 inch x 16 1/2 inch Silpat® baking mat which is perfect for all of your cookie baking throughout the year. Reduces the need for parchment and is reusable.

The original silicone baking mat made from a dedicated silicone with reinforced fiberglass mesh. Nothing sticks to Silpat® which means you’ll spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying your baking creations. Silpat® replaces the need for butter, grease, oils, and sprays.

• Multi-purpose non-stick silicone baking and pastry mat.
• No cooking sprays, oils or parchment paper needed.
• Not to be used as a cutting surface.
• Can be used in the oven, microwave and freezer.

I grew up making these Classic Spritz Cookies with my mom every year. We always made green Christmas trees and pink wreaths. We never varied the shapes or the colors, despite there being lots of options to choose from (like the flowers you see in these photos, or even candy canes). 

I always thought these cookies were the best when they were still warm – soft, melt-in-your-mouth delicious. When cooled, the cookies still had a buttery almond flavor but were a crunchier cookie. My uncle loved these cookies all of the time… I’d even make him a batch of Christmas trees mid-summer.

Although Spritz require a little special equipment and a little extra time, these cookies scream Christmas to me. I did tweak the recipe from the original, a photocopy of some old book my mom had stored away. Perhaps the original recipe from her own cookie press? The modifications are minimal – I lowered the cooking temperature and time, and added a quick refrigeration before baking. With these tweaks, I get a cookie that doesn’t brown on the bottom and stays soft longer – my favorite sort of cookie. However, if you prefer a crisp cookie, you can raise raise the baking temperature to 375F and bake for about 10 minutes, as the original recipe calls for.

Recipe Notes:

• My recipes usually don’t require special equipment, but you do need a cookie press for these – you just can’t make them without. There’s a variety of cookies presses out there. This is the one (affiliate link) that I’ve used and recommend.
• I used Adams Extract Food Colors (aka Natural Colors) in this recipe. The color isn’t as vibrant as many that you’re used to because Adam’s Food Colors are free of artificial dyes. Instead, Adam’s uses vegetable juices and spices – how great is that? Because it’s not made from artificial dyes, you’ll end up using more than you would of other products – just start with a little and add until you get the color you’d like. I’ll also note that the color also fades a bit after baking, so a little extra won’t hurt.
• Decorate the cookies however you wish. Growing up, we always did some sort of sprinkles. For the Christmas trees below, I used Sprinkle Pop’s gold stars, to mimic Christmas lights. I used another Christmas sprinkle mix on the wreaths, but my wreathes came out too skinny for the sprinkles to stick well to (I had a lot of issues with my wreaths this time – I’m clearly out of practice!) And on the flowers, you see my daughter’s pick of the sprinkles – Cupid’s Arrow Sprinkle Mix. (I might have gone a little overboard when ordering. ;-)) The key with sprinkles is to use smaller sprinkles. The big balls, little candies, totally work, but you’ll need to press them in a little so that they don’t roll off.

#ChristmasCookiesWeek Monday Recipes

• • Ach Tannebaum’ Iced Sugar Cookies by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
  • Brown Sugar Ornament Cookies by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
  • Butter Pecan Nuggets by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
  • Chocolate Candy Cane Kiss Cookies by Soulfully Made
  • Chocolate Crinkle Cookies by Everyday Eileen
  • Chocolate Espresso Brown Sugar Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
  • Chocolate Snowball Cookies by Hardly A Goddess
  • Chocolate-Cherry Snowballs by Red Cottage Chronicles
  • Christmas Macarons by A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • Christmas Rosette Sugar Cookies by Love and Confections
  • Christmas Sprinkle Pudding Cookies by Jonesin’ For Taste
  • Classic Spritz by Books n’ Cooks (above!)
  • Dark Chocolate Coffee Crinkle Cookies by Daily Dish Recipes
  • Frostbite Cookies by Cooking With Carlee
  • Gingerbread Macaron by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
  • Hot Chocolate Cookies by Family Around The Table
  • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie by Caroline’s Cooking
  • Oatmeal Rolled Sugar Cookies by House of Nash Eats
  • Peanut Butter Cutout Cookies by Bear & Bug Eats
  • Peppermint Cookie Dough Truffles by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
  • Peppermint Meltaways by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
  • Peppermint Thins by Palatable Pastime
  • Sour Cream Decorated Cookies by The Freshman Cook
  • Spiced Chocolate Molasses Cookies by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
  • Vegan Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars by The Baking Fairy
  • Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Shortbread by Kate’s Recipe Box
  • White Chocolate Gingerbread Blondies by The Redhead Baker

Update: The Rafflecopter was removed from this post in July 2021, after the giveaway had ended, for improved reader experience. 

Disclaimer: Thank you #ChristmasCookiesWeek sponsors: Adams Extract, Sprinkle Pop, YumGoggle and Silpat for providing the prizes free of charge. The #ChristmasCookiesWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Four (4) winners will be selected at random from entries received. The prize packages will be fulfilled by and sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. #ChristmasCookiesWeek bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household are not eligible enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #ChristmasCookiesWeek posts or entry.