Spritz Wreath Cookies
Buttery almond spritz cookies tinted green and pressed into wreath shapes, finished with red cinnamon candy holly berries. A classic Christmas cookie tray treat made with a cookie press or a piping bag.
Servings 48 cookies
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature (2 sticks, 226 g)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar 135 g
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract or more vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon green gel food coloring or to taste
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled (281 g)
- 1 tablespoon milk only if piping instead of pressing
For Decorating
- 2 tablespoons red cinnamon candies or red sprinkles
- 1 tablespoon green sanding sugar optional
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Chill two bare metal baking sheets in the fridge or freezer. Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the middle.
- Beat the butter, sugar and salt on medium speed for 45 seconds to 1 minute, just until smooth.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla and almond extract until smooth. Scrape the bowl, then mix in the green gel coloring until even.
- On low speed, add the flour in two additions and mix just until no dry streaks remain. Do not chill the dough.
Press and Decorate
- Fit a cookie press with the wreath disc and fill the barrel with a log of dough.
- Hold the press flat against a cold, unlined, ungreased baking sheet and click once per cookie, spacing the wreaths 1 ½ inches apart.
- Press 2 or 3 red cinnamon candies onto one side of each wreath and sprinkle with sanding sugar if using.
Bake
- Bake one sheet at a time for 7 to 9 minutes, until set and matte with barely golden bottoms.
- Cool on the sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Rinse, dry and re-chill the sheet before pressing the next batch.
Notes
- No press: Beat 1 tablespoon milk into the dough, pipe 2-inch rings with a large open star tip onto parchment, freeze 10 to 15 minutes, and bake 10 to 12 minutes.
- Sheets: Press cookies need a cold, bare, light-colored metal sheet. Parchment, silicone mats or grease keep the dough from releasing.
- Coloring: Use gel coloring only. Liquid coloring softens the dough.
- Make ahead: Refrigerate dough up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before pressing.
- Storage: Keep airtight at room temperature up to 2 weeks, or freeze baked cookies up to 3 months.