German Spritz With Variations Recipes

GERMAN SPRITZ COOKIES (SPRITZGEBäCK)

Steps:

• Add the very soft (but not melted) butter, sugar, and vanilla extract to a large bowl. Using your hand or stand mixer with the normal beaters, mix everything for around 4 minutes until creamy.
• Add the egg and egg yolk to the bowl and keep beating for 2-3 minutes until they are mixed in.
• In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Give everything a quick stir.
• Switch your mixer attachment to the spiral dough hooks. Then add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in small increments while beating. Keep mixing until the flour is fully mixed in.
• Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. If you are using a piping bag (the same kind of bag also used for cake/cupcake decorating) or a cookie press, let the dough rest at room temperature. If you're using a meat grinder for this recipe, place the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes so it can chill.
• Once the time is up, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line your baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.
• Now, prepare your piping bag, cookie press, or meat grinder - we usually use a piping bag. You'll want to use a large star tip with your piping bag or cookie press. The larger the opening, the easier the dough will be to push through. Also, the softer the dough, the easier it'll come out of the piping bag.
• Now shape the spritz cookies. You can make whichever shapes you want. Circles with an open hole in the middle, S-shapes, or straight lines are classic choices for Spritz cookie shapes. Some people also like to write their names with the cookie dough. Just make sure to create the letters large enough (and leave enough space in between) since the cookies will rise/expand a bit in the oven.
• Place the cookies on the parchment paper and bake them one baking sheet at a time in the oven for 12-16 minutes until the ends are slightly brown. It takes exactly 13 minutes in our oven but since every oven cooks differently, your baking time might vary slightly. When taking the cookies out of the oven they might still feel a tiny bit soft - that's fine (as long as the bottom is lightly browned). They'll harden once cooled.
• Remove the cookies from the baking sheet and place them on a cooling rack.
• OPTIONAL: Once the cookies have cooled, you can prepare the chocolate glaze by melting chocolate chips either in the microwave, in a pot on the stove, or in a hot water bath. You can use any type of chocolate chips (depending on how sweet you want it to taste). We like using semi-sweet chocolate chips. Once the chocolate chips are fully melted, carefully dip parts of the cookies into the melted chocolate and then place them back onto the cooling rack (place some of the parchment paper underneath for easier clean-up). Let the chocolate glaze fully harden before consuming or storing them. Enjoy!

GERMAN SPRITZ WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar in large bowl. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add vanilla and salt. Beat.
• Add flour. Work into batter. Fill cookie press and press your choice of design onto ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate. Bake in 400 f. oven for 10 to 12 minutes until set and edges are showing a hint of brown. Makes 6 to 7 dozen.
• CHOCOLATE SPRITZ: Exchange 6 tablespoons of flour with 6 tablespoons cocoa.
• ORANGE SPRITZ: Add 2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind and 1/2 teaspoons orange flavoring.
• CHOCOLATE ORANGE SPRITZ: Exchange 6 Tablespoons flour with an equal amount of cocoa. Add 2 teaspoons orange flavoring.
• Company's Coming for Christmas.