Egg-Free Christmas Spritz Cookies

Egg-Free Christmas Spritz Cookies are buttery, tender, and shaped for the holiday season without relying on eggs. The dough is rich and pipeable, making it ideal for a cookie press while still baking into crisp-edged cookies with a delicate crumb.

This version uses a simple combination of butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a little milk to create a smooth dough that holds festive shapes well. A touch of almond extract adds classic bakery-style flavor, and colorful sanding sugar or sprinkles make the finished cookies look bright and celebratory.

These cookies are a practical choice for holiday trays, cookie exchanges, and make-ahead baking. The recipe comes together quickly, bakes in short batches, and produces a consistent texture that works beautifully for stars, wreaths, trees, and other seasonal spritz shapes.

Recipe Overview

• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 12 minutes
• Total time: 47 minutes
• Servings: 36 cookies
• Difficulty: Easy

Why You’ll Love It

• The dough is made without eggs but still presses cleanly into defined holiday shapes.
• The flavor is buttery and classic with gentle vanilla and almond notes.
• The cookies bake quickly, which is helpful when making several trays for the holidays.
• They can be decorated simply with sanding sugar or sprinkles before baking.
• The recipe is well suited for cookie platters, gifting, and festive gatherings.

Nutritional Benefits and Adaptable Variations

• Use red and green sanding sugar for a traditional Christmas look, or choose white sparkling sugar for a snowy finish.
• If you prefer a milder flavor, replace the almond extract with additional vanilla extract.
• A small amount of finely grated orange zest can be added for a bright holiday variation.
• The dough can be divided and tinted with gel food coloring for multiple festive colors.
• These cookies pair well with melted chocolate drizzled over cooled cookies for extra decoration.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Let the butter soften fully so it creams smoothly, which helps the dough press evenly.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until light, smooth, and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and milk until fully combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in 2 additions, mixing on low speed just until a soft dough forms with no dry pockets.
4. Transfer the dough to a cookie press fitted with a seasonal disc. Press the cookies directly onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2.5 cm apart. If desired, decorate the tops with sanding sugar or holiday sprinkles.
5. Chill the shaped cookies on the baking sheets for 15 minutes so they hold their details well during baking. This short rest also helps prevent spreading.
6. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges are just lightly golden. Avoid overbaking so the cookies stay tender rather than dry.
7. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
8. Repeat with the remaining dough, keeping any unpressed dough at cool room temperature so it stays soft enough for the cookie press.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition is an approximate estimate per cookie and can vary depending on the exact butter brand, flour measurement, and amount of sanding sugar or sprinkles used.

Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies in a well-sealed container with parchment between layers for up to 2 months.

You can also refrigerate the unbaked dough for up to 2 days, then let it soften slightly before loading it into the cookie press.

FAQ

1. Can I make these cookies without a cookie press?

Yes. While a cookie press gives the traditional spritz look, you can pipe the dough with a sturdy piping bag and a large star tip. Keep the shapes small and chill them before baking for the best definition.

2. Why do spritz cookies sometimes lose their shape?

The most common reasons are overly warm dough, butter that is too soft, or skipping the chilling step after shaping. Chilling the pressed cookies for 15 minutes helps the details stay sharper in the oven.

3. Can I freeze the dough?

Yes. Wrap the dough well and freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator, then let it soften slightly at room temperature until it is workable enough for the cookie press.

4. What kind of sprinkles work best?

Sanding sugar, fine decorating sugar, and small holiday sprinkles work best because they sit neatly on the cookies without weighing down the delicate shapes. Large candy pieces are less suitable for this dough.

5. Can I add food coloring to the dough?

Yes. Divide the finished dough and mix in a small amount of gel food coloring until evenly tinted. Gel coloring is preferred because it adds color without making the dough too soft.

Egg-Free Christmas Spritz Cookies

Egg-Free Christmas Spritz Cookies are buttery, tender, and shaped for the holiday season without relying on eggs. The dough is rich and pipeable, making it ideal for a cookie press while still baking into crisp-edged cookies with a delicate crumb.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Additional time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 47 minutes mins

Servings 36 cookies

Calories 95 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 226 grams unsalted butter softened
• 120 grams powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 300 grams all-purpose flour
• 30 grams cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 tablespoons red and green sanding sugar or holiday sprinkles

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Let the butter soften fully so it creams smoothly, which helps the dough press evenly.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until light, smooth, and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and milk until fully combined.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in 2 additions, mixing on low speed just until a soft dough forms with no dry pockets.
• Transfer the dough to a cookie press fitted with a seasonal disc. Press the cookies directly onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2.5 cm apart. If desired, decorate the tops with sanding sugar or holiday sprinkles.
• Chill the shaped cookies on the baking sheets for 15 minutes so they hold their details well during baking. This short rest also helps prevent spreading.
• Bake 1 sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges are just lightly golden. Avoid overbaking so the cookies stay tender rather than dry.
• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
• Repeat with the remaining dough, keeping any unpressed dough at cool room temperature so it stays soft enough for the cookie press.

Notes

Nutrition is an approximate estimate per cookie and can vary depending on the exact butter brand, flour measurement, and amount of sanding sugar or sprinkles used.

Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.