Spritz Cookies - Best Cookie Press Dough Recipe - Almond Spritz Cookies (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to using a cookie press? ›

If it's too cold, it'll be hard to squeeze out of the pres. If it's too warm, it'll be too soft, and it won't hold its shape when baked. Holding your hand on the tube will warm the dough, so try to use just one hand on the trigger – place your other hand on the cookie sheet to keep it from moving.

*Perfect spritz dough has a soft malleable texture that is not too sticky or stiff. Creamed butter and sugar is the foundation of great spritz cookies.

Too cold and it won't release, too warm and your cookies may lose their shape. If you find the dough has gotten too warm, put it in the fridge for a couple minutes until it's at the right consistency. Once your dough is ready, simply roll it into a log shape. This will make it much easier to load into the press.

Insulated Cookie Sheets

Pros: Cookie sheets are insulated to prevent the bottoms of the cookies from browning too much or too quickly and are ideal for when you're baking thin or delicate cookies, or treats should be lightly colored, such as spritz cookies and shortbread.

Don't use parchment paper or non-stick cookie sheets for spritz cookies. This dough needs something it can stick to a little in order to come off the press. The cookies have so much butter in them, I've never had a problem with them sticking to a regular cookie sheet when they bake.

Helpful Hints and Tips for Perfect Spritz Cookies:

Do not chill the dough before using. The dough should be at room temperature so it can be piped through the press. If your cookies start to spread or your kitchen is warm, try chilling the pans in the refrigerator for a few minutes before piping the cookies on the pan.

There are a few things you can do to add liquid to your cookie dough if it is too dry and crumbly. One option is to add milk, water, or another liquid until the dough is the right consistency. You can also try adding melted butter or shortening. If your dough is still too dry, you may need to add more flour.

Warm Cookie Sheets

If you're batch baking your cookies, make sure you're placing cookie dough on cooled cookie sheets. If the cookie sheets are too warm, they can cause the cookies to spread.

Improper flour measurement is the #1 cause of your cookie dough being too dry or the cookies tasting like flour.

Flour. Make sure you measure your flour properly; adding too much flour (the most common mistake when measuring) can make your dough too dry and crumbly to use.

How do you keep spritz cookies from spreading? ›

Chilling cookie dough helps prevent spreading. The colder the dough, the less the cookies will over-spread into greasy puddles. You'll have thicker, sturdier, and more solid cookies. Whenever I make cookies, I plan ahead and chill the cookie dough overnight.

Decorating spritz cookies jimmies, sugars or nonpareils.

If you add sprinkles after baking the cookie dough your sprinkles will not stick to your cookies without using melted candy or icing. Oftentimes, shaped sprinkles will melt in the oven so sticking with jimmies, sugar and nonpareils are best.

However, an electric cookie press gives you a consistent and continuous pressing, which is ideal especially when decorating with icing. It can also save you time over a manual model. Note that using an electric cookie press does not mean you can press heavier doughs and batters.

Fill cookie press with dough and with desired disks, press cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown.

Decorating spritz cookies jimmies, sugars or nonpareils.

If you add sprinkles after baking the cookie dough your sprinkles will not stick to your cookies without using melted candy or icing. Oftentimes, shaped sprinkles will melt in the oven so sticking with jimmies, sugar and nonpareils are best.

More flour, not less, will help with sticky dough. You cannot use any dough in a press—if you can actually get it to press, most cookie doughs will not hold the spritz shape when baked. The key here is the butter and flour.

A cookie press can make that onerous job a little easier. Once filled with dough, cookies can be rapidly squeezed onto a prepared baking sheet rather than spooning or scooping each by hand.