These Spritz Cookies made with shortening are light, crisp, and perfect for warm-weather snacking or shipping. The dough is heat-resistant and holds up well in summer, making these an excellent choice for care packages and outdoor gatherings.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Using a cookie press, spritz cookies are one of the quickest ways to bake many attractive cookies in minutes — no cutters or elaborate decorating required. Swap cookie press discs to create a range of shapes, then change colors or sprinkles to suit holidays and seasons.
This recipe uses shortening and other ingredients chosen to resist heat, so the cookies travel well and stay fresh for shipping or summer events. For a festive touch, try the tie-dye method in the instructions to make colorful cookies for celebrations like the 4th of July.
Ingredients
Instructions
This overview highlights the main steps. The detailed recipe follows below in the recipe card.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the granulated sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, then mix until combined. Stir in the flour and baking powder until incorporated. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons water, a little at a time, until a soft, pliable dough forms.
- For tie-dye cookies, divide the dough into three portions. Add a few drops of gel food coloring to two portions (or color as desired) and leave one plain if preferred. Mix each portion until the color is even.
- Roll each colored portion into a rope about 9 inches long. Lay the ropes side by side, gently twist into a spiral, and slice the spiral log into thirds.
- Load one third of the spiral dough into the barrel of the cookie press.
- Press cookies onto an ungreased, unlined baking sheet, then bake for 5–7 minutes, or until the bottom edges just begin to turn golden. Repeat with remaining dough.
Storage
Once cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Tips and variations
- Do not line or grease baking sheets. The dough must stick to the pan when pressed; greasing or parchment can cause the dough to adhere to the press instead of releasing onto the sheet. The shortening prevents sticking after baking.
- Hold the cookie press perpendicular to the baking sheet, press once, then lift straight up for clean shapes.
- If the first few cookies are imperfect, remove them and rework the dough—pressing often requires a few practice cookies to get the dough positioned correctly.
- Allow cookie sheets to cool completely between batches. A warm sheet will cause dough to spread and lose its shape.
- Enhance flavor by adding up to 1/2 teaspoon of almond, fiori di sicilia, or fruit extract in addition to the vanilla called for in the recipe.
Frequently asked questions
No. The dough must be soft enough to be pushed through the press and hold its shape when released.
Spritz cookies should be pressed onto an ungreased, unlined, and cool baking sheet so the dough adheres during pressing. The high fat content prevents sticking after baking.
It’s easiest to add sprinkles before baking. If you prefer, you can also use a glaze after baking to adhere decorations.
Yes. The shortening and granulated sugar help these cookies resist heat, so they travel and arrive tasting good even in warm weather. They remain fresh up to two weeks when stored properly.
More Spritz cookies
Try other spritz variations for different flavors and occasions. Options include cinnamon-spritz, chocolate-espresso spritz, and fruit-flavored spritz cookies — all made quickly with a cookie press and simple tweaks to the basic dough.
Ready to bake? Follow the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions.
Spritz Cookies Recipe
Equipment
-
cookie press
-
baking sheet
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup butter-flavor vegetable shortening
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1-2 tablespoons water
- food coloring gel optional
- decorating sugar optional
Instructions
Basic Spritz cookie dough
-
Heat oven to 350° F.
-
In an electric mixer, cream together sugar and shortening until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
-
Mix in the egg and vanilla.
-
Add flour and baking powder and mix until combined.
-
Stir in 1 tablespoon water, then add more in tiny amounts if needed, up to 1 additional tablespoon, until the dough is soft and pliable.
-
For plain cookies, load dough into the cookie press and press onto an ungreased baking sheet. Add sprinkles before baking if desired.
Tie Dyed decorating
-
Divide dough into three portions.
-
Color each portion as desired with gel food coloring, or leave one portion uncolored. Mix until uniform.
-
Roll each color into a 9″ rope, line them up, twist gently into a spiral, and cut the spiral into thirds.
-
Press one dough third into the cookie press and pipe onto an ungreased, unlined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
-
Bake 5–7 minutes or until edges just begin to brown.
-
Cool on the baking sheet about 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
-
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Do not line or grease baking sheets. Grease can cause the dough to stick to the press instead of releasing onto the sheet; shortening prevents sticking after baking.
- Ensure sheets are completely cool before pressing another batch, or dough may spread and lose shape.
- Add extra flavor: combine the vanilla in the recipe with 1/2 teaspoon almond, fiori di sicilia, or fruit extract for a different profile.
Packing tips
Wrap stacks of cookies in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-weight zip-top bag. If vacuum sealing, wrap stacks first to protect them from pressure and watch carefully to avoid crushing.