There’s something wonderfully nostalgic and utterly delightful about a batch of spritz cookies, and this Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies Recipe takes that classic treat up a notch with its tender crumb and subtle tang. It’s the kind of recipe that fills your kitchen with warm, inviting scents and brings smiles to every bite.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I have to admit, the first time I made this Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies Recipe, I was hooked instantly. The cream cheese makes the dough incredibly soft and adds a moistness that’s missing from your typical spritz cookie. Plus, the subtle orange zest and vanilla make every bite sing with flavor.
- Buttery Richness: The blend of cream cheese and butter gives the cookies a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s hard to beat.
- Customizable Colors & Shapes: You can add gel food coloring to brighten up the dough or use different cookie press shapes to make them festive and unique.
- Simple Yet Flavorful: A touch of orange zest and vanilla extract make the flavor pop without any complicated ingredients or steps.
- Perfect for Gifting & Parties: These cookies hold their shape well, look beautiful, and transport easily – I always get compliments when I bring a tin!
Ingredients & Why They Work
This recipe is such a joy because each ingredient plays a critical role in creating that dreamy spritz cookie texture and flavor. I always recommend using fresh ingredients and good-quality butter and cream cheese — it really shines through in the final cookie.
- Unsalted Butter: Softened, it provides richness and structure while letting you control the salt level perfectly.
- Cream Cheese: Adds moisture and a subtle tang, making the cookies soft yet sturdy enough to hold their shape.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps with browning just enough without overpowering.
- Egg Yolk: Adds richness and helps bind the dough for that perfect spritz texture.
- Orange Zest: A little zing that brightens the flavor and pairs beautifully with the cream cheese.
- Vanilla Extract: Deepens the overall flavor and enhances the buttery notes.
- Kosher Salt: Balances the sweetness and lifts the flavors.
- All-Purpose Flour: The main structure for the cookies; sift for lighter texture if you have the time.
- Colored Sugars & Sprinkles: Optional but fun — adds a festive touch and a bit of extra crunch on top.
- Gel Food Coloring: Perfect for customizing your cookies without watering down the dough.
Make It Your Way
One of my favorite things about the Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies Recipe is how easy it is to customize. You can play with colors, decorations, and even flavor enhancements to make the cookies truly your own. I always encourage trying small batches with different colors or toppings to see what you love best.
- Variation: I’ve had great success adding a few drops of almond extract alongside the vanilla for a slightly different but delicious flavor twist.
- Dietary Modification: You can swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free blend, but I recommend chilling the dough longer to help with the texture.
- Seasonal Colors: Try red and green sprinkles for Christmas or pastel hues for Easter — it’s an easy way to match your cookies to any holiday.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Cream the Butter, Cream Cheese, and Sugar
Start by making sure your butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature — too cold and they won't cream well, too warm and your dough will be greasy. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar together on medium speed. It takes a few minutes to get a smooth, fluffy mixture, so be patient and scrape down the bowl once or twice to ensure everything incorporates evenly.
Step 2: Add Flavor and Egg Yolk
Next, mix in the egg yolk — just the yolk, no whites — along with the orange zest, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. These few ingredients make a world of difference in flavor, so don’t skip the zest! After adding them, mix for another minute, scraping the bowl again to keep everything well blended.
Step 3: Incorporate the Flour Gently
Add half of the all-purpose flour first, mixing on low speed to prevent a flour cloud. Once that’s mostly combined, add the rest and mix just until incorporated — overmixing here can toughen your cookies. If you’d like to add food coloring, this is the time: either mix it into the whole batch or divide the dough for multiple hues.
Step 4: Pipe and Decorate
Using a cookie press or a pastry bag with a large star tip, pipe the dough onto your baking sheet, leaving enough space between cookies for slight spreading. Then sprinkle with colored sugars or sprinkles as you like. One thing I learned the hard way is to let your baking sheet cool completely before piping the next batch to avoid dough spreading too much.
Step 5: Bake to Perfection
Bake your cookies in a 325°F oven for about 10-12 minutes. You want them set, not browned — they’ll firm up as they cool. I suggest letting them cool on the baking sheet for a couple minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish. That way, they hold their shape and texture beautifully.
Top Tip
Over the years baking these cookies, I’ve found a few tricks that make the whole process smoother and the results so much better. With just a couple adjustments, you’ll feel like a spritz cookie pro in no time.
- Softened Ingredients Matter: Always use softened (not melted) butter and cream cheese for that perfect dough texture and easy mixing.
- Don’t Overmix Flour: Incorporate the flour just until you no longer see streaks — this helps keep cookies tender instead of chewy or tough.
- Chill Your Baking Sheets: After piping the cookies, if your baking sheet is warm, the dough will spread too much, so cool them between batches.
- Use a Cookie Press or Pastry Bag: Using a large star tip or favorite cookie press shapes ensures those classic spritz designs every time.
How to Serve Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
I love to top mine with colorful sugars and sprinkles, especially around holidays. For something extra special, try brushing the cookies lightly with melted white chocolate and sprinkling crushed peppermint or edible glitter. It really elevates the look and taste!
Side Dishes
These cookies pair beautifully with a hot cup of tea, coffee, or even a glass of cold milk. I often serve them alongside fresh fruit platters or a cheese board during holiday brunches for a tasty sweet balance.
Creative Ways to Present
I like to arrange my spritz cookies in decorative tins or on festive plates as gifts. Another fun idea is to layer them between parchment paper in mason jars. For parties, creating a cookie “bouquet” by piping dough onto skewers and decorating like little flowers has been a real hit with friends and family.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store leftover spritz cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, layered with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They usually stay fresh and soft for up to a week, though honestly, that never lasts long in my house!
Freezing
Freezing the dough before baking works wonderfully—you can pipe the cookies directly onto the trays from frozen and bake without thawing, just add a minute or two to the bake time. Finished cookies also freeze well; just wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and tuck them into a freezer bag for up to three months.
Reheating
If your cookies lose a bit of their fresh-baked softness after storage, a quick 5-6 seconds in the microwave can bring back that tender texture. Just don’t overdo it or they’ll get too warm and soft to handle.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Low-fat cream cheese tends to have more moisture, which can affect the dough’s consistency and how well the cookies hold their shape. If you must use it, chill the dough longer before piping and keep a close eye during baking.
Nope! While a cookie press is the traditional tool for spritz cookies, you can also use a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip or create hand-formed shapes. Just make sure your dough is soft enough to pipe smoothly.
Make sure your butter and cream cheese are properly softened, not melted. Also, chill your baking sheets between batches and avoid overmixing the flour into the dough. Baking at the recommended temperature and not overbaking helps the shape hold.
Absolutely! I’ve tried lemon zest, almond extract, and even a little cinnamon for holiday cookies. Just adjust the amount according to your taste so the flavor complements the cream cheese and vanilla base.
Final Thoughts
This Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies Recipe holds a special place in my heart—there’s simply nothing like the buttery, tangy softness paired with delightful shapes and colors to brighten any day. Whether you’re baking for holidays, gifts, or just because, I know you’ll enjoy making and sharing these as much as I do. Grab your cookie press and get ready to create some sweet memories!
Print
Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 48 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Delightfully tender and buttery Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies featuring a hint of orange zest, perfect for holidays or any special occasion. These cookies are made with a blend of cream cheese and butter for a rich texture and piped into charming shapes, decorated with colorful sugars or sprinkles.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 8 ounces unsalted butter softened (2 sticks)
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Decorations
- Colored sugars
- Sprinkles
- Gel food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Cream Butter, Cream Cheese, and Sugar: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar at medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure thorough mixing.
- Add Flavorings: Add the egg yolk, orange zest, vanilla extract, and kosher salt to the bowl. Mix again for one minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl to fully incorporate all ingredients.
- Add Flour: Add half of the all-purpose flour to the bowl and mix on slow speed to avoid flour flying. Add the remaining flour and mix until just combined.
- Color the Dough (Optional): If desired, add gel food coloring to the dough by mixing it directly in the bowl or dividing dough into portions to create multiple colors.
- Pipe Cookies: Use a cookie press with your chosen shapes to pipe the dough onto a sheet pan, leaving at least an inch between cookies to allow for spreading. Decorate with colored sugars or sprinkles as desired. If no cookie press is available, use a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 12 minutes until they are set but not browned. If baking in multiple batches, cool sheet pans completely before piping the next batch to prevent excessive spreading.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking pans for 2 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
- Ensure butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature for easier mixing and a smooth dough.
- Using a cookie press or pastry bag helps achieve the characteristic spritz cookie shapes.
- Do not overbake; cookies should be set and lightly firm but not browned for the best texture.
- Allowing sheet pans to cool between batches prevents the dough from spreading too much when piping.
- Gel food coloring works best for coloring dough without affecting the texture.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
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