Description

These Easy Valentine’s Day Spritz Cookies are buttery, tender, and perfectly shaped for a festive celebration. Made with simple ingredients like butter, sugar, and vanilla, these cookies are pressed into charming forms and decorated with red food coloring to add a lovely Valentine’s Day touch. They bake quickly, making them a delightful and easy cookie recipe to share with loved ones.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

1 cup butter (unsalted, preferably Kerrygold for richer flavor)
1 cup sugar
1 egg (room temperature, about 70°F)
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur recommended)
1/2 tsp salt

Decoration

Red food coloring

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Instructions

Prepare Ingredients: Allow the butter to come to room temperature for easier mixing. Also, bring the egg to room temperature to prevent the dough from curdling during mixing.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This creates the base texture for tender spritz cookies.
Add Egg and Extracts: Mix in the egg, followed by vanilla and almond extracts. These flavors add a classic, rich taste to the dough.
Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix to keep cookies tender.
Color the Dough: Separate a portion of the dough and knead in red food coloring to the desired intensity for vibrant Valentine’s Day cookies.
Shape Cookies: Using a cookie press or a piping bag fitted with decorative tips, press or pipe shapes onto an ungreased baking sheet. Leave a small space between each cookie to allow for spreading.
Bake Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies for about 8-10 minutes, or until the edges just start 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 or package as a thoughtful Valentine’s gift.

Notes

For best results, use room temperature butter and egg to ensure smooth dough consistency.
If you don’t have a cookie press, a piping bag with a star tip can be used to shape cookies.
Chill the dough slightly if it becomes too soft to handle easily.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
These cookies freeze well; freeze unbaked shaped dough or baked cookies for longer storage.