There is no Christmas without Sprtiz cookies!
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, vanilla and salt, on high speed, stopping often to scrape down the sides, until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 7 minutes total.
Add the egg and beat again, stopping often to scrape down the sides and beater, until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stop the mixer and add the sifted flour and the baking powder all at once. Mix on the lowest speed just until the flour starts to incorporate with the butter mixture, 15 to 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and finish the job by hand using a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Take care to only mix until the dough is homogeneous.
Press the dough into the tube of the cookie press, turning the tube as you go for even distribution of dough. Screw in the desired pattern and pipe quickly onto the surface of cool, clean metal baking sheets (do not use nonstick trays, silicone liners, or parchment paper). Work quickly and rhythmically; try not to stop as you pipe out the cookies. If you are not satisfied with the shape, scrape them off the pan with an offset spatula and reload the dough.
Sprinkle with decorations, or press on half candied cherries, on each cookie if desired.
Bake for 5 to 7 minutes for small cookies, 7 to 9 minutes for larger ones, turning halfway through. Spritz cookies are traditionally baked to a pale golden-blond color, but baking until a bit darker yields a crispy cookie with toffee notes. Watch the cookies carefully for browning at the edges if you are aiming to make a lighter cookie.
Remove from the oven and allow them to cool on their baking sheets for 5 minutes before loosening with an offset spatula and transferring to a cooling rack.
Cool completely before serving.
The cookies will keep in an airtight container for a while. They freeze well too.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, vanilla and salt, on high speed, stopping often to scrape down the sides, until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 7 minutes total.
Add the egg and beat again, stopping often to scrape down the sides and beater, until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stop the mixer and add the sifted flour and the baking powder all at once. Mix on the lowest speed just until the flour starts to incorporate with the butter mixture, 15 to 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and finish the job by hand using a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Take care to only mix until the dough is homogeneous.
Press the dough into the tube of the cookie press, turning the tube as you go for even distribution of dough. Screw in the desired pattern and pipe quickly onto the surface of cool, clean metal baking sheets (do not use nonstick trays, silicone liners, or parchment paper). Work quickly and rhythmically; try not to stop as you pipe out the cookies. If you are not satisfied with the shape, scrape them off the pan with an offset spatula and reload the dough.
Sprinkle with decorations, or press on half candied cherries, on each cookie if desired.
Bake for 5 to 7 minutes for small cookies, 7 to 9 minutes for larger ones, turning halfway through. Spritz cookies are traditionally baked to a pale golden-blond color, but baking until a bit darker yields a crispy cookie with toffee notes. Watch the cookies carefully for browning at the edges if you are aiming to make a lighter cookie.
Remove from the oven and allow them to cool on their baking sheets for 5 minutes before loosening with an offset spatula and transferring to a cooling rack.
Cool completely before serving.
The cookies will keep in an airtight container for a while. They freeze well too.