Description
These Easy Valentine’s Day Spritz Cookies are buttery, tender, and perfect for celebrating love with festive red hues. Made with simple ingredients and flavored with vanilla and almond extracts, these classic spritz cookies are quick to prepare and ideal for any Valentine’s Day gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter (preferably Kerrygold for richer flavor)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature, about 70°F to prevent curdling)
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur recommended)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Red food coloring, as needed
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix well until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until a soft dough forms. Add red food coloring a few drops at a time until the desired shade is achieved.
- Shape the Cookies: Fit a spritz cookie press with your choice of decorative disk. Fill the press with dough and press the cookies onto an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are just starting to turn golden. Avoid overbaking to keep them tender.
- Cool and Serve: Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy your Valentine’s Day Spritz Cookies with friends and family!
Notes
- Make sure your egg is at room temperature to prevent the dough from curdling.
- If you do not have a spritz cookie press, you can pipe the dough with a piping bag and star tip.
- For even distribution of color, mix the red food coloring thoroughly but avoid overmixing the dough which can make it tough.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- To keep cookies soft, place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies which helps retain moisture.
