Spritzgebäck - German Spritz cookies

How to make German Spritz cookies (Spritzgebäck) small shortbread cookies with an irresistibly soft and sandy texture dipped in dark chocolate. They are very easy to make at home and are perfect for the holidays or to treat your loved ones.

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German spritz cookies

Spritzgebäck is the german word for spritz cookies, which signifies squirt meaning types of shortbread made with a cookie press or piping bag.

Well, it's a version of German spritz cookies very popular during the holiday season and is one of the most baked cookies for Christmas in Scandinavian countries.

These cute German spritz cookies are fun and so delicious with a soft, sandy texture and a taste that no one can resist at home. They go like hotcakes as the kids love this version of buttery spritz cookies.

The Spritzgebäck is so delicious for Christmas and they come in all shapes and flavors like this very sweet version of German spritz cookies dipped in a melted chocolate glaze.

Difference between shortbread and spritz

The spritz cookies unlike the shortbread or sugar cookies have a softer cookie dough consistency that we can't handle with our hands and roll to cut with a cookie cutter.

For the classic spritz cookies recipe, we use a cookie press that allows us to place piles of dough directly on the baking sheet. Here I use a piping bag with an open star 1m piping tip to give a W or S shape.

These shortbread spritz cookies are some of my favorite childhood cookies here in France, and they are very easy to make at home and are perfect for holiday giving, or just for a kid's snack.

>> See all shortbread and cookie recipes on the blog

Ingredients needed

Spritz are really easy to make and requires very few ingredients. They are so easy to flavor and decorate and make a great activity to share with the kids. Scroll down to see the recipe card with quantities at the end of the page.

• Butter: Use soft, unsalted butter at a well-softened or melted and cooled temperature.
• Sugar: Very fine powdered sugar or icing sugar.
• Eggs: The traditional recipe is made only with the egg white but you can add a whole egg with the egg yolk as well.
• Flour: all-purpose wheat flour or a gluten-free flour mix for a gluten-free spritz cookies version
• Vanilla extract and salt: essential for flavoring and bringing out the flavors.

Optional

• Cocoa: Replace ¼ of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolate spritz version or almond flour for a delicious flavor.
• Nuts: Chopped nuts, shredded coconut.
• Flavoring: a natural flavor of your choice, lemon, orange, almond extract, etc.

Chocolate coating

Use dark baking chocolate chips, which you can temper for a shiny, crunchy coating. You can also substitute it with milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips or use colored candy melts.

⚠️ You will find the quantities and the complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of the page.

How to make German Spritz Cookies

1 - Cream butter and sugar

1. In a large bowl, place softened butter and powdered sugar.
2. Mix with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2-3 minutes until creamy and smooth.
3. Add the egg white and vanilla extract and beat again for a good minute.

Tip: Use well softened butter to have a soft cookie dough texture that easily comes out of the piping bag.

2 - Add dry ingredients

1. Add the dry ingredients, flour and salt.
2. Mix with an electric mixer or a spatula just enough to incorporate them and have a homogeneous batter.
3. Fill the whole cookie dough on a large piping bag fitted with an open star 1M piping tip or use a cookie press.

Tip: Mix the dry ingredients to incorporate them, avoiding over-mixing the mixture to keep the sandy texture.

3 - Baking

1. Preheat oven to 338°F / 170°C and prepare baking sheets lined with baking paper.
2. Poach W with the cookie dough, leaving a 2 inches / 5 cm space between each cookie.
3. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes (depending on size) until lightly browned on the edges.
4. Let Spritzgebäck spritz cookies cool slightly on baking sheets before moving them to a cooling rack.

Tip: The cookies are ready when they are still a little soft, they will harden as they cool.

Chocolate Coating

1. Melt the dark chocolate chips in the microwave or in a double boiler until it is completely melted.
2. Then place the melted chocolate in a large, deep bowl.
3. Dip a spritz cookie halfway into the melted chocolate and shake off excess chocolate.
4. Place the glazed spritz cookie on a sheet of parchment paper and let the chocolate harden completely.
5. You can add some crushed nuts, shredded coconut, fleur de sel or sugar decorations to decorate your cookies.

Tip: Temper the chocolate to get a crisp, shiny chocolate coating by following this temperature curve: Melt the dark chocolate at 50°C, cool to 29°C and use at 32°C.

Success tips

• Use room temperature ingredients: This is the key to having a soft texture that goes easily into the piping bag. If your texture still seems too thick then add a bit of milk to soften it
• Be careful when baking: watch the cookies during baking, it is best to cook them less to have soft and fondant shortbread in the mouth.
• Let them cool completely: They will still be a little soft and fragile, once completely cooled you can dip them in the chocolate and decorate them.

Conservation

Homemade spritz cookies can be stored like shortbread cookies at room temperature, in an airtight container bow with a lid, away from moisture.

You can also store them for up to 3 months in the freezer in a storage bag or box. Let them thaw gently at room temperature.

More shortbread recipes

• Christmas sugar cookies with royal icing
• Iced Gingerbread cookies
• Gingerbread men cookies
• Snowflake cookies
• Linzer cookies
• White chocolate sandwich cookies
• Mini gingerbread house recipe

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