Description
These Spritz Butter Christmas Cookies are a festive and classic holiday treat made with creamy butter, a touch of vanilla, and vibrant green food coloring. Pressed into charming shapes with a cookie press and decorated with sprinkles or colored sugar, these cookies are perfectly crisp around the edges and soft inside, ideal for sharing at any holiday gathering.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Green food coloring (liquid or gel), about 4 drops gel
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Decoration
- Sprinkles or colored sugar, for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it reaches the right temperature for perfectly baked cookies.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until the mixture becomes fluffy and light in texture, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Add the egg and vanilla extract to the bowl, then continue beating with the mixer until all ingredients are fully combined and smooth.
- Incorporate Food Coloring: Add green food coloring drop by drop into the batter while mixing. Gel food coloring requires fewer drops; typically 4 drops of gel create a pale green hue. Adjust amount to your preferred color intensity.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in the all-purpose flour and kosher salt using a wooden spoon until just combined, forming a soft dough.
- Shape Cookies: Pack the dough into a cookie press fitted with your desired disk design, such as wreaths or trees. Press dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing each cookie about 1 inch apart. Do not grease or use parchment paper, as the dough’s stickiness helps release shapes cleanly.
- Decorate: Optionally, decorate the pressed cookies with sprinkles or colored sugar for a festive touch before baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown.
- Cool and Store: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely. Once cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Gel food coloring is preferred for a more vibrant color with fewer drops.
- Do not grease the cookie sheet or use parchment paper to help the cookie press release shapes better.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before storing to avoid sogginess.
- Cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days if not used immediately.
- Use kosher salt for best flavor balance; adjust salt type if necessary.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (about 20g)
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
