Lemon Spritz Cookies
These tender little spritz cookies are packed with lemon flavor and perfect for Spring!
I always make my classic butter spritz cookies during the holiday season, but this last year I noticed that my cookie press comes with so many non-holiday shapes that I’ve never used. Mostly, lots and lots of flowers! So I vowed to make them again in the spring with a fun seasonal twist.
And so here we are! These lemon spritz cookies are everything I hoped they would be— very lemony and super cute.
The cookies come with a triple dose of lemon, with both lemon zest and extract in the dough, and a lemon glaze poured over each one. They’re perfect for springtime, or anytime really!
If you’ve never had spritz cookies, you’re in for a treat. They’re slightly crisp and delicate, and the high butter content reminds me a little of shortbread. Their most notable characteristic is that they’re shaped with a cookie press (this is the cookie press I have and love). Usually the cookies are scented with vanilla and/or almond extract, but for this twist I wanted it to be all about the lemon.
(Does any else go crazy for lemon treats this time of year? Or is it just me?)
Thanks to their small size these cookies are so pop-able! I dare you to eat just one spritz, it’s not possible. One batch makes a ton, so feel free to share.
baking tip:Tips for making spritz cookies
- Use a clean, un-greased, un-lined cookie sheet for baking. This way the cookie dough will have something to grab onto as it’s pressed and released from the cookie press.
- You may need to push down the cookie press twice to get one cookie to release. It depends a lot on the shape you’re using. And if one comes out messy, scrape it off the cookie sheet and reuse the dough in the next batch.
- If you’d like to add sprinkles, it’s best to do so before baking so the sprinkles can cling to the moist dough. If you are using a glaze, sprinkles can be added after.
- While a cookie press may yield the best results, you can use a pastry bag fitted with a plain or decorative tip to pipe out the dough instead.
- Bake just until cookies appear set and dry on top, but do not let them brown.
- Spritz cookies freeze very well. Freeze in a single layer on a lined sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer zipped bag for and freeze for a month or more. Let thaw at room temperature.
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Lemon Spritz Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, 226 grams), softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (66 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract , optional
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (270 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Zest of 1 lemon
Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (113 grams)
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
- Sprinkles , optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar and until light and creamy, 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each, followed by the vanilla and lemon extracts.
- Add the flour, salt, and lemon zest and mix until just combined.
- Use a cookie press to form cookies. Press onto a non-greased sheet pan.
- Bake until cookies are set but not browned, 7-9 minutes. They were done at exactly 8 minutes in my oven.
- Let cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and set over the sheet pan.
- Whisk the powdered sugar and enough lemon juice to make a thin glaze.
- Pour the glaze over the cookies, letting the excess drip down through the wire rack.
- Top with sprinkles and let sit for several minutes until glaze is set.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for several days.
These look like the perfect addition to my Easter Buffet!
These look so good! Are they good with other flavorings too?
I made them today substituting blood orange for the lemon since I needed to use some up and used orange extract in place of the lemon. The cookies were very good and tender. I added 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder to the recipe because I usually do when making spritz. They were a little sweet for us but that is a personal taste and next time would reduce the sugar a bit. Overall, a very nice recipe. I look forward to trying them with lemon and Meyer lemon as well.