Spritz Cookie (Shortbread) Recipe
There’s something special about a cookie that looks like it took hours to make—but secretly didn’t. That’s exactly why shortbread spritz cookies have become one of my go-to treats, especially during the holidays. With a cookie press, a little gel food coloring, and some colored sugar, you can create dozens of eye-catching, melt-in-your-mouth cookies in no time at all.
These cookies aren’t just about looks, though. They have that classic buttery shortbread flavor—simple, rich, and just sweet enough. The kind that disappears quickly from the plate and leaves people reaching for “just one more.”
Why Spritz Cookies Are a Holiday Favorite
Spritz cookies strike the perfect balance between ease and elegance. The dough is soft enough to press, but sturdy enough to hold intricate shapes. Whether you’re making wreaths, trees, flowers, or abstract swirls, they come out looking detailed and festive with minimal effort.
Using gel food coloring takes them to another level. You get bold, vibrant colors without watering down the dough, so every batch looks as good as it tastes. Add a sprinkle of colored sugar on top, and suddenly you’ve got bakery-worthy cookies that feel both nostalgic and a little magical.
And the best part? You can make a lot of them—fast. Perfect for gifting, parties, or those moments when you just want a full tin of cookies sitting on the counter.
From Kitchen to Care Packages
These cookies became more than just a holiday tradition for me—they became a way to connect with people.
Back when my circle was smaller and mostly made up of a few close gaming friends, I started putting together care packages during the holidays. Nothing fancy—just a box filled with homemade treats, including these spritz cookies, sent out to people I’d spent countless hours gaming with.
There’s something oddly meaningful about sending homemade food to someone you’ve only ever talked to online. It turns a digital friendship into something real.
One of those friends—who Snide and I still keep in touch with—told me later that when he got his first package, he actually paused for a second.
He realized… he had technically just met me online.
And yes, the thought crossed his mind: what if these cookies are poisoned?
But then he decided, you know what—if they are poisoned, at least he’d go out eating cookies.
So he ate them.
(For the record, he survived all of the cookies and had no worries of tainted future deliveries.)
Another time, he had a girlfriend who heard that “some girl” sent him cookies and immediately wanted to know who this “mystery person “girl” was. His response?
“Uh… It’s just the ‘Jeffs.’”
(Long story on that nickname.)
He tried explaining that she had literally helped him eat half the cookies the week before—and that he didn’t even think of me as “a girl,” just one of the gaming crew. Which, honestly, is probably the highest compliment in that context.
Simple, Fun, and Made to Be Shared
That’s really what these cookies are about.
They’re simple to make.
They look impressive.
They taste incredible.
But more than anything, they’re meant to be shared—whether that’s with family, friends, or the people you’ve spent hours laughing with online.
They’re the kind of cookie that turns into a story.
Spritz Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup of butter or margarine
- 1 - 3 oz. package of cream cheese
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp of pure vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups of flour
- gel food coloring and rainbow sparkling sugar (see article)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 F
Mix all ingredients until it forms a dough.
Fill cookie press and form on baking stones.
Sprinkle with rainbow sugar
Bake 16 min on the bottom rack and 18 min on the middle rack.