If you've eaten the nostalgic Christmas cookies that come in a round blue tin, they might have been delicious Spritzgebäck! These buttery, soft German Spritz cookies are easily made without a fancy cookie press, and they bake in just 10 minutes!
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These sweet, buttery, tender German Christmas cookies (Weihnachtsplätzchen) practically melt in your mouth!
The word "Spritzgebäck" translates to “shortbread cookies”. And "spritzen" in German means “to squirt” since the dough is “squirted” out of a piping bag, rather than rolled or cut with cookie cutters.
This recipe was inspired by my other German cookies. And for more German Christmas cookies to get in the holiday spirit, try Vanillekipferl (vanilla crescents), Lebkuchen (gingerbread), and Pfeffernüsse (spiced cookies).
Growing up in Germany, we’d get a tin of Spritzgebäck every Christmas that were sprinkled with demerara sugar. I remember lifting the lid and trying to decide which cookie shape I'd eat that day. 🙂
I love topping my cookies with demerara sugar. It's coarser than granulated sugar, so it won’t dissolve on the tops of the cookies as they bake. And it adds a crunchy texture & extra sweetness, just like the ones I ate in Germany as a kid.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
- Demerara sugar (optional for topping)
How to Make this Recipe
Below is the process to make this recipe. For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient quantities, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar.
3. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat the mixture again until it’s creamy and fluffy, after another minute.
5. Fill a piping bag assembled with an open star tip with the cookie dough.
7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are golden on the edges. Rotate the pan halfway through baking.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until it forms a crumbly dough, then stir in the milk.
6. Pipe the dough onto your baking sheet in a tight S or figure-8.
8. Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack. Enjoy!!
Carissa's Kitchen Tip
Cornstarch in the cookie dough inhibits gluten formation, which makes the cookies tender and delicate.
It also prevents the cookies from spreading in the oven, so they maintain their beautiful piped shape.
Recipe Tips
- Piping Nozzle: To make the ridges on the cookies, use an open star tip nozzle with your piping bag.
- Cookie Press: Instead of a piping bag, you can also use a cookie press to shape your cookie dough into flowers, stars, trees, or other festive shapes.
- Room Temperature: Make sure your milk and eggs are at room temperature, so they incorporate easily into the dough. Otherwise your dough could split.
- Don’t overbake: These cookies bake really quickly since they're so thin, so keep an eye on them.
Variations
- Dip in melted chocolate and sprinkle chopped nuts or festive sprinkles on top.
- While I personally love German Spritz cookies that are simple, you could add other flavorings like almond extract, lemon or orange zest, or cinnamon.
- Instead of a tight S or figure-8, you can pipe letters, straight lines, circles, or any shape you like!
- If you pipe different shapes, note that smaller cookies will cook faster than larger cookies.
- If you don't have a cookie press or a piping bag, fill a large ziplock bag with your cookie dough, cut off the corner with scissors, then use that to pipe your cookie dough. Your cookies will be smoother, without the ridges.
Storage
These cookies store best at room temperature in an airtight container for at least one week.
You can also store cooled cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I've found that these cookies freeze really well.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Spritz cookies and butter cookies?
German Spritz cookies are similar to German butter cookies. But the dough is softer with the addition of eggs, so it’s easier to pipe in beautiful shapes.
How should I serve Spritzgebäck?
These buttery cookies are great for dunking in coffee, hot cocoa, or chai as a snack. And if you serve them around Christmas, they're also great alongside Glühwein or almond milk eggnog.
Related Recipes
Looking for more delicious German cookie recipes like Spritzgebäck? Try these:
Spritzgebäck | German Spritz Cookies without a Press
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (2 sticks)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk (at room temperature)
- 2 tablespoon demerara sugar, optional (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or a stand mixer to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until it’s pale yellow and fluffy, after a few minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat again until it’s creamy and fluffy, after another minute.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix with a large spoon until it forms a really soft, crumbly dough.
- Add the milk and gently mix with a spoon until it’s a smooth consistency that you can pipe with.
- Fill a piping bag assembled with an open star tip with the cookie dough. Pipe the dough onto your prepared baking sheets in any shape you like. Traditionally the dough is piped in a tight “S” or figure-8. You can also pipe it in lines, circles, or even letters.Optional: Sprinkle demerara sugar on top of the unbaked cookies.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are golden on the edges. Rotate the baking pans 180 degrees halfway through baking, and switch their positions so the top one is on the bottom and vice versa. Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!!
Notes
- Room Temperature: Make sure your milk and eggs are at room temperature, so they incorporate easily into the dough. Otherwise your dough could split.
- Two Batches: If you only have one baking sheet, you can bake your cookies in two batches. Pipe the cookies onto your baking sheet and store the remaining batter in the fridge while the first batch bakes. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Let the baking sheet cool for another 10 minutes at least, before piping the second batch of cookies into it.
- Piping Nozzle: To make the pretty ridges on the cookies, use an open star tip nozzle with your piping bag.
- Size Matters: If you pipe different shapes, note that smaller cookies will cook faster than larger cookies.
- No Piping Bag: If you don't have a cookie press or a piping bag, fill a large ziplock bag with your cookie dough, cut off the corner with scissors, then use that to pipe your cookie dough. Your cookies will be smoother, without the ridges.
- Don’t overbake: These cookies bake really quickly since they're so thin, so keep an eye on them. Pull them out of the oven once the edges turn golden.
- Storing: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Or store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Shanon
Beautiful!
Rolf
Reminds me of old memories in Regensburg
Carissa Erzen
Thanks! I don't think I've been to Regensburg, but I just looked up photos online, and it looks absolutely beautiful!