Christmas Spritz Butter Cookies are one of those classic holiday treats that instantly bring warmth, nostalgia, and the comforting aroma of homemade Christmas baking. With their delicate buttery texture and elegant piped shapes, these traditional French Christmas cookies are the perfect addition to any festive dessert table. Whether you’re preparing holiday gift boxes, planning a Christmas cookie exchange, or simply enjoying a cozy baking afternoon, this easy butter cookies recipe is sure to become one of your seasonal favorites.
What makes Spritz cookies truly magical is their melt-in-the-mouth texture created by mixing softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until perfectly smooth and creamy. These Viennese-style biscuits are light, crisp, and delicately flavored, making them ideal for pairing with a cup of hot chocolate, coffee, or a holiday spiced latte. Their iconic S-shapes, W-shapes, spirals, and rings give them a festive, artisan look that elevates any Christmas dessert platter.
This homemade spritz cookie recipe is incredibly simple, requiring basic pantry ingredients like flour, butter, cornstarch, and one egg. With just a piping bag and a star-shaped nozzle, you can create beautifully designed Christmas butter cookies that bake in just minutes. Because they stay pale and tender, these cookies deliver the authentic texture of traditional French and Viennese Christmas pastries while remaining easy enough for even beginner bakers.
Once cooled, these Christmas butter cookies can be dipped in dark, milk, or white chocolate to add a rich, indulgent finish. They store wonderfully in airtight containers, making them perfect for make-ahead Christmas desserts, edible gifts, and festive snack boxes. Simple, elegant, and irresistibly buttery, these Spritz Butter Cookies bring the charm of European holiday baking straight to your kitchen—perfect for celebrating the magic of the season.
Ingredients for 4 servings
250 g all-purpose flour
200 g butter
50 g cornstarch (Maïzena)
150 g powdered sugar
1 egg
1 pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon liquid vanilla
Optional: 100 g dark, milk, or white chocolate for decoration
Step-by-Step Instructions For Christmas Spritz Butter Cookies
Instructions:
Start by taking the butter out of the refrigerator at least 1 hour before making the recipe so it becomes very soft and easy to work with. This step is essential for achieving perfect Christmas Viennese Spritz cookies. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the powdered sugar, liquid vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth and creamy. The mixture should become light and airy—this is the key to achieving buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies.
Next, add the whole egg and continue beating for a few more seconds until the dough becomes perfectly smooth. Incorporate the sifted flour along with the cornstarch, which adds an even finer and crispier texture to your homemade Christmas cookies. Gently fold the mixture with a spatula, being careful not to overwork the dough—this is the secret to keeping the traditional tender texture of Viennese Spritz cookies.
Preheat your oven to 160°C (convection) while preparing a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped tip. For best results, fill the piping bag only halfway so you can shape your cookies easily. Overfilling the bag makes piping difficult and tiring. These small technical details ensure perfectly shaped, beautifully defined Spritz cookies.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe the cookies into S-shapes, W-shapes, spirals, or rings—let your creativity shine with the iconic shapes of traditional Viennese holiday cookies. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, watching them closely: Spritz cookies should remain pale, almost white, to keep their melt-in-the-mouth texture. Even if they look slightly underbaked, they will firm up as they cool.
Once baked, let them cool completely before handling them to avoid breakage. You can then dip them in dark, milk, or white chocolate for an extra indulgent touch. These homemade Viennese Spritz cookies keep well for several days in an airtight container—perfect for enjoying with coffee or hot chocolate throughout the Christmas season.
Delicious Variations:
Chocolate-Dipped Spritz Cookies
Dip one end of each cooled cookie in melted dark, milk, or white chocolate, then sprinkle with crushed pistachios, coconut, or festive sprinkles for a beautiful Christmas finish.
Citrus Holiday Spritz Cookies
Add the zest of one orange or one lemon to the dough for a fresh, bright flavor that pairs wonderfully with winter spices and hot drinks.
Spiced Christmas Spritz
Mix ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg into the dough to create warm, aromatic cookies perfect for the holiday season.
Almond or Hazelnut Spritz Cookies
Replace 20 g of flour with almond meal or hazelnut flour for a nuttier, richer cookie that enhances the classic buttery taste.
Marbled Chocolate Spritz
Add 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to half of the dough, then place both doughs in the piping bag side by side to create a beautiful marbled effect.
Practical Tips:
Use very soft butter.
For perfect piping, the butter must be extremely soft—almost like a thick cream. This helps the dough pass easily through the star tip.
Don’t overmix the flour.
Gently fold in the flour and cornstarch to preserve the light, melt-in-the-mouth texture of traditional Spritz cookies.
Piping bag trick:
Fill the piping bag only halfway. This gives you more control and prevents hand fatigue, allowing you to create beautifully defined shapes.
Keep the cookies pale.
Spritz cookies should stay very light in color. If they brown too much, they lose their tender, buttery texture.
Cooling is essential.
Let the cookies cool completely before dipping them in chocolate or storing them. Warm cookies break easily.
Perfect for gifting:
Store them in airtight metal tins with parchment paper between layers. They keep their crisp and buttery texture for several days—ideal for Christmas gifts or make-ahead baking.
