I love these colorful, buttery cookie-press cookies because they’re simple to make, delicious, and fun to decorate. Once the dough is ready, just press, sprinkle, and bake. The result is tiny, buttery bites that bring a smile with every bite.

Classic spritz cookies are especially popular during the holidays. They’ve been a family tradition for years—my aunt makes a spiced version at Christmas and tops them with gold sprinkles that always look stunning.

Luckily, there are many occasions to bake these cheerful cookies—holidays, parties, or just because.

Some popular holiday shapes include:

• pumpkins and bats for Halloween
• hearts for Valentine’s Day
• flowers for spring and Easter
• wreaths or trees for winter holidays

Spritz cookies hold their shape well in the oven and don’t spread much. They cool to a tender, crumbly, buttery bite—so satisfying you’ll find it hard to stop snacking.

You can customize shapes, colors, and decorations to match any theme. For spring I used blue and periwinkle sprinkles on flower shapes for a bright, cheerful finish.

Popular variations include cocoa or chocolate spritz, spiced spritz, and lemon-scented versions for a fresh twist.

Combine Butter + Sugar

Preheat the oven and cream the butter and sugar together with a mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Add Egg, Vanilla, and Salt

Add the egg, vanilla, almond extract (optional), and salt to the butter and sugar. Mix until combined—almond extract adds a lovely depth if you have it on hand.

Add Flour

Stir in the flour gradually until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Load Your Cookie Dough

Load the dough into your cookie press. You can spoon it in or roll it into a skinny log and slide it into the barrel—follow your press’s instructions if you’re unsure.

Choose a Design and Press Cookies

Select a disk and attach it to the tip of the press. Press the cookies onto a lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

Sprinkle + Bake Your Butter Cookies

Press each cookie onto the baking sheet, top with sanding sugar or sprinkles, and bake at 375°F (190°C) until the edges are just golden, about 7–10 minutes. Lining the pan with a nonstick baking mat makes cleanup easy and eliminates the need to grease the sheet.

These buttery spritz cookies come out colorful and tender every time. For a spiced version, add 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cardamom, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and a pinch of clove.

Try these spritz cookies for any occasion—change the colors, add a glaze or chocolate dip, or keep them simply sprinkled for a quick, pretty treat.