The butter spritz is a grandma mainstay. Simple, rich, lightly sweet and crumbly, two or three and a pot of tea will see you through an entire afternoon of family gab. This stiff dough is commonly used in cookie presses or “spritz guns”. I learned to make them with a pastry bag and tip, so that’s what I’m going to do. The shapes take me back to neighborhood bakeries in Chicago.
READ ONThese are known as butter “spritz” cooking because, well, they’re spritzed: squirted out of a pastry bag or if you’re a fan of Ron Popeil, a cookie gun. Make a chocolate version by stirring in 1/3 cup cocoa powder…or do half and half!
8 ounces (2 sticks) soft butter
3.5 ounces (1/2 cup) sugar
1 large egg
11.25 ounces (2 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
coating chocolate, sprinkles, raspberry jam or other embellishments