Spritz Cookies Recipe

1. Get ingredients:
   • 227 g (1 cup) butter (unsalted, room temperature, 65-70° F / 18-21° C)
   • 1 egg (50 g) (large, room temperature)
   • 1 g (1/4 tsp) almond, lemon, or other extract
   • 292 g (2 1/3 cups) flour (all-purpose)
   • 2 g (1/2 tsp) kosher salt
   • 133 g (2/3 cups) sugar (white, granulated)
   • 8 g (2 tsp) vanilla extract (pure)
   • stand mixer
   • baking trays
   • cookie press
   • spatula
   • plastic wrap
2. If the eggs are not room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
3. Clear some space in the fridge (for chilling the dough in a bowl later).
4. Attach the paddle to the stand mixer.
5. Add to stand mixer bowl:
   • 227 g (1 cup) butter (chopped into about 8 pieces)
   • 133 g (2/3 cups) sugar
6. Mix on medium speed until creamy (about 2 minutes).
7. Set stand mixer to low speed.
8. Add to stand mixer bowl:
   • 1 egg (50 g)
   • 8 g (2 tsp) vanilla extract
   • 2 g (1/2 tsp) kosher salt
   • 1 g (1/4 tsp) almond, lemon, or other extract
9. Mix on medium speed until well combined (about 1 minute).
10. Set stand mixer to low speed.
11. Add to stand mixer bowl:
    • 292 g (2 1/3 cups) flour
12. Mix on low speed just until the dry ingredients disappear (about 1 minute).
    • Do not over-mix.
13. Cover the bowl with a lid, plastic wrap, or beeswax wrap.
14. Chill the dough in the bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes.
15. Set the oven to bake, 375° F (191° C). Ensure the oven rack is in the middle position.
16. Using the cookie press, stamp the dough onto an ungreased, unlined baking tray.
    • The dough will not stick to a non-stick surface, like parchment paper.
    • If the dough becomes too warm, chill the dough in the fridge again for 15-30 minutes and then continue stamping.
17. Bake for 6 minutes (or until light golden).
18. Let cool at room temperature on the baking tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorate (optional)

1. Get ingredients:
   • 91 g (1/2 cup) chocolate
   • microwavable silicone bowl
   • piping bag
   • 1/4-cm round piping tip (eg. Wilton 3)
2. Fit the piping bag with the piping tip. Set aside.
3. Measure out (and chop if necessary):
   • 91 g (1/2 cup) chocolate
4. Add the chocolate to a small microwavable silicone bowl.
5. Microwave at 100% power for 30 seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir with a spoon. Repeat for another 30 seconds, 15 seconds, 10 seconds, 5 seconds, but stop as soon as most of the chocolate is melted, and just stir to melt the remaining chocolate.
   • Optionally, use a thermometer to make sure the chocolate does not go above 95° F (35° C) so the chocolate remains tempered.
   • Ensure all chunks are completely melted. (Otherwise, they will clog up the piping bag.)
   • Once the chocolate is melted, you will need to work quickly before it solidifies.
6. Using a spatula, scoop the chocolate into the piping bag.
7. Pipe the chocolate onto the cookies in a zig-zag pattern.
8. Optionally, put sprinkles on top of the chocolate.