Nothing says “holiday” like Spritz butter cookies. My mother used to make these with an old aluminum hand press. After I got married she bought me an electric press. It was called the Super Shooter and touted that it was the “new” modern food gun! That was over 30 years ago. I still have it and use it to this day. The name Spritz comes from the German word Spritzgebäck which are light, very buttery short bread type cookies. There is a plethora of Spritz cookies recipes in cook books and on the web but this one is the one that is closest to my mothers recipe. The use of almond flour is my recent addition. I think it adds greatly to the flavor and texture of the cookie. I also like to make chocolate sandwich cookies out them. Just use your favorite chocolate frosting or a thin layer of melted dark chocolate between the flat sides of two cookies. Ahhh chocolate buttery goodness!
Spritz Butter Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
11/2 teaspoons Amaretto liquor (Almond flavored liquor) (may substitute almond extract)
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
½ cup plus 1 teaspoon almond flour (almond meal)
Cookie press or pastry bag
If baking the same day preheat the oven to 350°F. Cover baking sheet pans with parchment paper
Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on high speed for 1 minute. Gradually beat in the sugar, and beat 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Beat in the Amaretto. On low speed, beat in about 1/2 of the flour and the salt. Add in the almond flour and the remaining flour until mixed in and then knead the dough in the bowl until smooth. If dough is sticky knead in more flour until it is smooth.
(If you are not going to bake cookies immediately then roll the dough into a cylinder shape and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. The dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 weeks. Bring dough to room temperature before you use it. )
Fit a pastry bag with a wide star tip or Place the desired disk on your cookie press. In batches, fill the bag or press container. Pipe or press dough shapes, spacing them about 1 inch apart onto the baking sheets. Bake 12–15 minutes until just barely golden on the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Store baked cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 days or freeze for up to two weeks.