If you grew up celebrating Christmas during the 1950s, 1960s, or 1970s, chances are you remember seeing spritz cookies arranged on a holiday platter.
These delicate, buttery cookies came in cheerful shapes like Christmas trees, wreaths, stars, and flowers. Some were sprinkled with colorful sugar, while others featured bright red candied cherries.
For many families, making spritz cookies meant bringing out a special kitchen gadget that appeared only during the holidays: the cookie press.
A European Christmas Tradition
Spritz cookies have roots in northern European baking traditions, particularly those of Germany and Scandinavia.
Their name is commonly connected to the German word spritzen, meaning to squirt or spray, a reference to the process of pressing soft dough through a shaped opening.
In Sweden, a related traditional butter cookie is called spritskransar, often formed into decorative wreaths.
As European immigrants brought their baking customs to America, butter cookies became increasingly popular during the Christmas season.
By the mid-20th century, cookie presses were common household baking tools. Metal presses with interchangeable decorative disks allowed home bakers to create dozens of attractive cookies with relatively little effort.
The 1963 Betty Crocker's Cooky Book belongs to this colorful era of American baking, when home cooks embraced creative cookie shapes, decorative toppings, and festive holiday platters.
The Magic of the Christmas Cookie Press
Unlike rolled sugar cookies, spritz cookies are made from a soft dough that is pressed directly onto an ungreased baking sheet.
The secret is getting the dough just right. It should be soft enough to pass through the press but firm enough to hold its shape.
Once baked, the cookies have a delicate texture and rich buttery flavor that makes them nearly impossible to resist.
Spritz cookies are also wonderful for gift-giving because they can be made in large batches and stored in decorative tins.
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