This classic spritz cookies recipe from 1923 delivers delicate, buttery cookies with crisp edges using a simple cookie press - no chilling required. The dough comes together in minutes using basic pantry staples, and one batch yields approximately 80 beautifully shaped cookies perfect for holiday cookie platters.
The beauty of these vintage spritz cookies lies in their versatility. You can press them into wreaths, Christmas trees, or simple rosettes, then decorate with colored sugar before baking. The texture falls somewhere between shortbread and sugar cookies - tender enough to melt on your tongue, yet sturdy enough to hold intricate shapes. That balance comes from the generous amount of butter and the specific ratio of ingredients perfected nearly a century ago.
European Origins and Enduring Tradition
The word "spritz" comes from the German spritzen, meaning to squirt or spray - a perfect description of how dough flows through a cookie press. These buttery pressed cookies trace their roots back to 16th-century Germany and Scandinavia, where bakers developed the cookie press as an ingenious way to create uniform, decorative treats for Christmas celebrations.
In southwestern Germany, particularly the Alsace region, bakers crafted Spritzgebäck as part of their Christmas traditions, using the press to form intricate shapes that were as beautiful as they were delicious. Across Scandinavia, similar butter cookies became essential to holiday gatherings, with each country developing its own variations. The technique spread throughout northern Europe, from Germany to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands, uniting the region through a shared love of these delicate pressed cookies.
German and Scandinavian immigrants brought this treasured tradition to America in the 1800s and early 1900s, carrying their cookie presses and carefully guarded recipes across the Atlantic. By 1923, when this particular recipe was documented, spritz cookies had become thoroughly woven into American holiday baking. The recipe endures because its simple proportions - butter, sugar, flour, eggs, and flavoring - capture everything essential about the centuries-old European technique while adapting beautifully to American kitchens and ingredients.
I discovered this recipe in a 1923 cookbook where it appeared as just a simple list of ingredients - no instructions, no temperatures, no baking times. That was typical of the era when home bakers understood the fundamentals so thoroughly that recipes served as mere reminders rather than detailed guides.
To bring this century-old recipe to life for modern kitchens, I've tested and recreated the complete method, filling in the techniques that would have been second nature to a 1920s baker but might puzzle us today. The proportions remain unchanged from the original, but I've added the specific steps, temperatures, and timing needed to ensure your success.
What Makes These Classic Spritz Cookies Special
Classic 1923 Spritz Cookies Recipe
These classic spritz cookies from 1923 feature a buttery, tender texture with crisp edges and hold beautiful shapes from a cookie press. No chilling required, and the simple dough comes together quickly with just six ingredients. Perfect for holiday baking or everyday enjoyment, this vintage recipe yields approximately 80 delicate cookies.
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 80 cookies 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup (1/2 pound) butter, softened
- 2-3 cups granulated sugar (start with 2 cups)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract (or 1/2 teaspoon of each)
Instructions
Preparing the Dough:
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes using an electric mixer or by hand.
- Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract (or ½ teaspoon of each).
- Gradually add the flour, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix. The dough should be soft but hold its shape.
Forming and Baking:
-  Preheat your oven to 350-375°F.
- Do not chill the dough! It must be at room temperature to press properly.
- Fill your cookie press with dough according to the manufacturer’s directions, and press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. The cookies should stick slightly to the pan to hold their shape.
- If desired, decorate with colored sugar or candies before baking.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes, until the edges are set and just barely beginning to turn golden; they should not brown.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.​
Equipment
Nielsen-Massey Pure Almond Extract
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OXO Good Grips 14-Piece Cookie Press Set, Cookie Press
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KitchenAid 9x13in Nonstick Aluminized Steel Baking Sheet
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- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Cookies, Christmas
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American, German, Scandinavian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 Cookies
- Calories: 112
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 1mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 26mg
How to Make Perfect Classic Spritz Cookies
Recipe Variations
Frequently Asked Questions
The dough is either too cold or too stiff. Make sure your dough is at room temperature and that you creamed the butter and sugar adequately. If it's still too stiff, knead in a teaspoon of milk or softened butter to loosen it slightly. Press firmly and steadily.
I personally would not. While you can substitute margarine, the flavor won't be as rich and authentic. Butter contains milk solids that create the characteristic spritz cookie flavor and golden color. If you must use margarine, choose one with at least 80% fat content. Margarine spreads or reduced-fat versions contain too much water.
Your dough may be too warm, or you added too much liquid. Make sure you're measuring flour correctly. Scoop and level rather than packing it into the measuring cup. Also, ensure your baking sheets are completely cool before pressing more cookies onto them.
Technically yes, but they won't be traditional spritz cookies. You can pipe the dough through a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, or roll it into small balls and flatten slightly with a fork. However, the cookie press creates the distinctive shapes and ridges that define spritz cookies.
No, vanilla extract alone works just fine. However, many traditional spritz cookie recipes include almond extract because it complements the buttery flavor and adds subtle complexity. If you dislike almond flavor, use vanilla exclusively or try adding a small amount of lemon zest instead.
Look for edges that are set and just barely beginning to turn golden. The centers should still appear pale. These cookies continue cooking slightly on the hot baking sheet after removal from the oven, so err on the side of underbaking rather than overbaking.
Yes! While traditional decoration happens before baking with colored sugar or sprinkles, you can also drizzle cooled cookies with melted chocolate, dust them with powdered sugar, or sandwich two together with buttercream or jam. The plain cookies provide a neutral canvas for creativity.
You may have used unsalted butter without adding enough salt to the dough, or you may not have creamed the butter and sugar long enough to develop the flavor. Also, check that your vanilla extract is pure rather than imitation. The flavor difference is noticeable in simple cookies like these.
These cookies keep beautifully for up to 2 weeks at room temperature in an airtight container, or up to 3 months in the freezer. Many bakers make them in early December for late-December gatherings. The texture actually improves slightly after a day or two as they mellow.
Yes, though it will only yield about 40 cookies. Keep in mind that cookie presses work more efficiently with larger batches since you need enough dough to create adequate pressure. If you're testing the recipe for the first time, consider making the full batch and freezing half the baked cookies.
Which spritz cookie shapes did your family make every Christmas? Were you a rosette family, or did everyone fight over the Christmas tree disk? If you make these classic spritz cookies, please leave a rating and review!
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