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I love to make Christmas cookies but sometimes I just don’t have the time needed to make rolled and decorated sugar cookies, Italian anise cookies, or any of my other favorites that are time consuming to produce. Ahh. The Spritz.  The perfect cookie to make when time is of the essence. It’s basically a mix and go cookie.  Mix it up, fill the cookie gun, pull the trigger, and voila-cookies incredibly crisp, delicious, and festive! All these spritz recipes come from various friends or family over the years, have been made, and are proven to be delicious! Use butter, quality ingredients, and bake according to the directions and they will be a welcome addition to any holiday gathering.

Spritz – Basic Recipe

2/3 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 400F. In large mixer bowl combine sugar, butter, egg, salt, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture is light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed, 2 to 3 minutes. Place dough in cookie press. Form desired shapes 1 inch apart on cookie sheets and add nonpareils if desired. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Chocolate Chip Spritz

2/3 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 400F. In large mixer bowl combine sugar, butter, egg, salt, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture is light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour and chocolate chips. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed, 2 to 3 minutes. If dough is too soft, cover and refrigerate until firm enough to form cookies, 30 to 45 minutes. Place dough in cookie press. Form desired shapes 1 inch apart on cookie sheets. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Chocolate Layer Supreme Spritz

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
10 chocolate candy bars

Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Sift flour and salt together. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar. Beat until smooth. Add egg and vanilla. Beat well. Stir in dry ingredients. Using a cookie press with the saw-tooth plate, press dough into long strips onto ungreased cookie sheet. Break up candy bars into 1-inch pieces. Place 1/4-inch apart on top of dough. Press another strip of dough over candy, covering completely. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Cut into bite-size pieces immediately. Cool cookie sheets completely between batches.

Chocolate Spritz

1-1/4 cups butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Place dough in cookie press. Press cookies out onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Spice Spritz

2/3 cup sugar
1 cup softened butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 400F. In large mixer bowl combine sugar, butter, egg, salt, spices, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture is light and fluffy. Add flour and beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.  Place dough in cookie press. Form desired shapes 1 inch apart on cookie sheets. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. For Glaze, in small bowl stir together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle or pipe over warm cookies.

Mint Kiss Spritz

2/3 cup sugar
2 sticks butter,softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
food coloring
60 Hershey’s Kisses

Heat oven to 400F. In large mixer bowl combine sugar, butter, egg, salt, vanilla, and mint extract. Beat at medium speed until mixture is light and fluffy. Add flour and beat at low speed until well mixed. Mix in  food coloring if desired.  Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour or until firm enough to form cookies. Squeeze through cookie gun and bake for 6 to 8 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Immediately after removing cookies from oven place one Hershey’s kiss on each cookie.

Snowflakes

1 cup butter
1 3-ounce package cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream together butter, cream cheese and sugar. Beat in egg yolk, vanilla and orange zest. Sift together flour, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually blend flour mixture into butter mixture. Fill cookie press. Form cookies on ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar, if desired. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Remove at once to cooling racks.