Spritz Cookies
Davida Williams
Every year, the women in my family make spritz cookies for family and friends. Our cookie press has been in the family for four generations. (Unlike most versions on the market today, there’s no handle, only a press. Despite our best efforts, we have yet to find a modern equivalent.) The recipe below is adapted from the New York Times.
Ingredients
- 1 c butter, at room temperature
- ¾ c granulated sugar
- ¾ tsp almond extract
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ¼ c almond flour
- 2 c all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp sea salt
- Decorative sugar or sprinkles, for finishing
- Food coloring, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric mixer and a bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for a couple minutes until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low, add the egg and almond extract, and mix until combined.
- With mixer on low, gradually add flours and salt until just incorporated. Turn off the mixer to avoid overmixing.
- Fill a cookie press with dough, or use a piping bag with a decorative piping tip with a large opening.
- Using ungreased cookie sheets, press or pipe the dough, leaving about 1 inch between cookies. Sprinkle cookies with your decoration of choice.
- Bake until firm to the touch and golden brown around the edges, 12 to 17 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool on the sheets for 5-10 minutes, 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).