Christmas Spritz Butter Cookies (Perfect for Piping)
🧾 Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, very soft
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract (traditional & delicious)
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
Decorations
- Red & green food coloring
- Christmas sprinkles, nonpareils, or sanding sugar
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Cream butter & sugar
Beat butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
2. Add egg & flavoring
Beat in:
- egg
- vanilla
- almond extract
Mix until smooth.
3. Add dry ingredients
Mix in flour and salt just until combined.
Dough should be soft but pipeable (not sticky).
4. Color the dough
Divide dough into portions and tint:
- Green
- White
- Red
Transfer to piping bags fitted with large star tips.
5. Pipe
Pipe rosettes or shells onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Add sprinkles before baking.
6. Chill (important!)
Chill piped cookies 20–30 minutes so they hold their shape.
7. Bake
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes.
Bottom edges should be lightly golden — tops stay pale.
Cool completely before moving.
⭐ Tips for PERFECT Cookies
✔ Butter must be soft, not melted
✔ Chill after piping
✔ Use powdered sugar (not granulated)
✔ Don’t overbake — they should stay light
🎄 Flavor Variations
- Peppermint: replace almond with peppermint extract
- Lemon: add lemon zest + lemon extract
- Chocolate: replace ¼ cup flour with cocoa powder
- Dipped: dip bottoms in melted chocolate after cooling
These cookies are ideal for Christmas platters, gifting, and cookie exchanges — just like the photo you shared.