Buttery Spritz Cookies Made Easy Using a Cookie Press (Gluten-Free Option)
Originally posted December 2014. Updated September 2026.
I’ve been making these Buttery Almond Spritz Cookies for the holidays since my early twenties (over 25 years now). It’s so easy to make several shapes quickly and easy with a cookie press. Plus, almost everyone loves the simple mix of butter, sugar, and egg, flavored with almond and vanilla extract. Spritz cookies are from German and Scandinavian tradition.
A New York neighbor of mine, transplanted to Denver, took one bite of these and declared them ‘cookies only found in New York.’ I giggled a bit cause this cookie recipe was developed in North Carolina and came with me to Colorado. And now I make them in Portugal. She wasn’t wrong about how good they are though. Just got the zip code wrong.
They’re also so versatile with how you can make them. Don’t have a cookie press, roll them out and cut out with cookie cutters. Or you can hand shape them. Then dress them with sugar, sprinkles, icing, or dip them in chocolate and nuts. I tend to make a mix of the cookies shapes and toppings cause it looks so elegant and traditional on a holiday cookie tray.
Where Spritz Cookies Actually Come From
So, when I started baking spritz cookies over 25 years ago, I didn’t know any of the history of them other than they were from Europe. Since then I’ve found the name spritz comes from the German word spritzen, which means to ‘to squirt.’ Meaning to make with a cookie press. The Germans call the cookie Spritzgebäck.
The Germans are who brought the spritz cookie tradition to the States in the 19th and early 20th centuries, where the name got shortened to spritz.
The twist of all this is that the Scandinavia region has a claim on the cookies as well, using the same pressing and piping method. In Sweden the cookie is called spritsar. Norway makes them and of course, we know the Danish do as well since we see the blue Danish Butter Cookie tins every Christman. Regardless of where the cookies come from the ingredient list is mostly the same – butter, sugar, flour, egg and flavored with either or both vanilla or almond extract. And they all use the same cookie press method to make them.
Press, Roll, or Hand-Shape — Pick Your Shape
This dough is genuinely flexible in how you shape your almond spritz butter cookies. Of course that does change your prep time.
Using a cookie press is the least effort route. No chilling of the dough required. Just mix the ingredients, load the press, and straight into the oven. I can turn out a full batch of 5 dozen in about an hour, including bake time.
Shaping by hand works the same way. No chill needed, just roll small balls of dough and flatten them slightly before baking.
Rolling and cutting shapes is where more time comes into play. If you want clean cutout shapes using cookie cutters, you’ll want to chill the dough for at least an hour so it’s not sticky.
Regular or Gluten-Free Flour for Your Buttery Almond Spritz Cookies (Both Work, Different Texture)
I’ve made these multiple times for my gluten-free friends using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 baking flour. The texture changes quite a bit. Instead of being slightly chewy the way they are with regular flour, the gluten-free flour gives you a texture closer to an airy meringue cookie. It’s still very good. Just different. It’s not a compromise and everyone will still love them. Plus, the only people that actually notice are the ones who’ve eaten them the other way as well.
With Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour, I use the same measurements I do when using the all-purpose flour.
Looking for more gluten-free cookie options, give my recipe for the traditional Italian Almond Biscotti or try these fudgy brownie style Dark Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies.
Dressing Them Up (Or Not)
Most of the time, I keep the decorating of my Buttery Almond Spritz Cookies simple… a sprinkle of red and green sugar before they go into the oven. Or if I’m making them at other times of the year, raw sugar like I do with Italian Wine Cookies (Ciambelline al Vino). It’s my favorite way to eat them. Plus keeps them fast and easy to make. And nothing to compete with the buttery, almond flavors.
Some people like them plain. I agree they are still good but why skip adding a little sparkle in your life?!
Every so often though, it’s time to make fancy ones. Like when I’m doing a cookie exchange or going to an upscale party and need a hostess gift. When that happens I half dip the cooled cookies in melted semi-sweet chocolate and then roll the dipped half in crushed walnuts. That’s actually the hubby’s favorite ones.
You can also cover them with icing.
Whatever you favorite way is, the buttery almond flavor comes through in these spritz cookies.
They Get Better the Next Day
So here’s a cookie that actually isn’t good fresh and warm out of the oven. Instead, you’re gonna wanna make these a day or two ahead which helps the almond flavor develop and come through noticeably. Which also makes them perfect for parties, gifts, and exchanges.
They are also good alongside a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Or of course the classic… a glass of milk.
Are you a fan of Spritz Cookies? Which topping do you pull out of the cookie tin? Let me know in the comments, along with any questions you have.
Recommended Ingredients & Tools for Spritz Cookies
Ingredients
- Pure Almond Extract — With any extract, use the REAL thing and the best quality you can buy. No imitation. That’s just a bunch of chemicals and the taste is noticeable.
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour — I’m not being paid by Bob’s Red Mill, they just truly are my favorite gluten-free flour swap. It’s an easy swap with equal measurements, no other additives or adjustments.
- Red and Green Sanding Sugar — If I can find them, I use naturally colored sugar. But since we can always find it, you want a good coarse sanding sugar that holds it’s color and sparkle. If you don’t want to use colored at all – swap out for a coarse raw sugar.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips — Use a good quality chocolate. It melts smoother and the taste… makes it worth it. I tend to go with semi-sweet on these cookies. I found dark chocolate wasn’t quite the right taste with the spritz cookie flavor.
Tools
- Cookie Press — I highly recommend investing in a good cookie press like this Marcato one. Most of the current ones are made with plastics these days. My aluminum press has lasted me for years and will end up passed down. No chilling of the dough, just load and press.
- Baking Sheet Pan and Cooling Racks — A good set of baking sheets and cooling racks to so worth it when you’re making cookies. I prefer stainless steel ones in both.
- Parchment Paper — Not only makes it easy to clean up, but no worrying about your cookies sticking. Totally worth it.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Buttery Almond Spritz Cookies
- Why almond extract? It’s the traditional extract used in class spritz cookies. It gives them their signature buttery, slightly nutty taste. I also have made them with only vanilla extract or using half vanilla and half lemon extract. They do change the flavor, but they still make a good cookie.
- Can I make the dough or the baked cookies ahead of time? YES to both. The dough keeps rolled in parchment paper for a couple of days in the fridge if you want to bake in batches. I still recommend making them ahead since the flavor is better when the cookies are a couple of days old.
- Can I freeze the dough? – Absolutely. Wrap in parchment paper and put into a freezer bag. Then unthaw and bake as normal. You can also freeze the Spritz Cookies baked. Just wait to decorate them after you’ve unthawed them.
- Why do mine keep coming out too brown? It usually means your oven is running too hot or you’re at the wrong temperature. Check the oven temp first and then start watching them around the 5 minute mark, leaving them in until the edges are barely browning. They are meant to stay pale. If they brown across the top, they’ll be dry and taste overbaked rather than buttery.
Cookie Press Buttery Almond Spitz Cookies (Gluten-Free Option)
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened (not melted), no substitutes
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract or a second teaspoon of vanilla, or lemon extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour OR gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour
- Toppings: red and green sugar or semi-sweet chocolate and crushed walnuts for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and egg until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the extracts and mix well.
- Blend in the flour. The dough may get stiff toward the end — a little hand-kneading is normal to work in the last of it.
- If rolling and cutting shapes: chill the dough for about 1 hour before rolling. If using a cookie press: skip the chill and go straight to baking.
- For the classic finish, sprinkle shaped dough in red and green sugar before baking. Or use plain raw sugar.
- Bake 8 minutes, until the edges are just lightly browning and the cookies feel firm. Don't let them brown all over, or they'll overbake, turning hard and dry.
- Remove from the baking sheet to a wire rack and cool completely before serving or further decorating.
- Optional: for a dressed-up version, half-dip cooled cookies in melted semi-sweet chocolate, then roll the dipped half in crushed walnuts. Let set before storing.
Notes
NUTRITION (PER COOKIE, APPROXIMATE, BASED ON 60, UNDECORATED)
Calories ~55 | Protein ~0.6g | Total Fat ~3.2g | Saturated Fat ~2.0g | Carbohydrates ~5.9g | Fiber ~0.1g | Sugar ~2.5g | Sodium ~18mg (calculated with salted butter) Makes about 5 dozen small cookies. Nutrition is for the undecorated cookie only and will run higher once dipped or rolled in toppings. Calculated from USDA FoodData Central. Caveats:- This is the plain cookie, sugar-sprinkle finish only. Dipping in chocolate and rolling in walnuts adds calories, fat, and sugar that vary by how heavily you decorate — treat the chocolate-dipped version as noticeably higher, especially in sugar and fat.
- Sodium is calculated using salted butter, which is what this recipe actually uses.
- Gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blends run close to all-purpose nutritionally, so this estimate holds reasonably well for both versions.