Last winter, I got a few requests for spritz cookie recipes. I had to be honest – I hadn’t made spritz cookies since I was a kid. I didn’t remember them being particularly good and I did remember them bing kind of a pain in the butt and making a huge mess. The spritz gun always got clogged and the shapes never seemed to come out quite right. Apparently they’ve come a long way since the ’80s though – these spritz cookies were a breeze to make.
With the addition of hazelnut meal and instant espresso, they’re also incredibly delicious. I couldn’t stop eating the raw dough and I can’t stop eating the baked cookies either. Luckily, the recipe makes a ton and they keep well (I’ve had some on the counter in plastic bags for a week and they’re still as good as the day I made them; they also freeze nicely for long-term storage.)
They’re rich and buttery and not too sweet (they might not be super popular with kids.) Along with a cup of espresso, they make a great afternoon pick-me-up.
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and, once again, OXO is getting ready for their annual program benefiting Cookies for Kids Cancer and the Be A Good Cookie campaign. Cookies for Kids Cancer was started by two OXO employees when their son was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. It’s a cause that I’m always happy to support, but this year it’s especially near-and dear to my heart because one of my friends from college is going through a similar struggle with his son. Watching everything unfold is completely heartbreaking. It makes me feel so helpless and small. No family – and certainly no child – should have to deal with that.
Like last year, OXO is donating $100 for every blog post dedicated to childhood cancer. (This year, I’ll be matching that donation myself. It’s the least I can do.) Additionally, throughout September, OXO will donate 25-cents to pediatric cancer research for every item purchased that has a green “Cookies for Kids Cancer” sticker on it.*
You can see a list of eligible product here – I definitely recommend the cookie press if you don’t have one already. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to use (and clean up!) and I’ll definitely be making more spritz cookies this winter.
Ingredients
- ¾ cups 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso granules
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup hazelnut meal
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400ºF.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Stir in the espresso. Stir in the flour and hazelnut meal until combined into a thick dough.
- Use a rubber spatula to pack the dough into a cookie press. Press dough onto an ungreased baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between cookies.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Remove from the cookie sheet and let cool on a baking rack. Repeat with remaining dough, allowing the cookie sheet to cool between batches.
Notes
I was not paid for this post; however OXO sent me a baking kit including the cookie press and spatulas and they will be donating $100 to every post dedicated to the Cookies For Kids Cancer Campaign in September.
*In 2014, OXO will donate up to $100,000 to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer through specially marked baking tools, bake sale matches and other fundraising efforts. Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is a recognized 501c(3) public charity duly incorporated under the laws of the state of New Jersey. Your donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law. 100% of proceeds raised by Cookies for Kids’ Cancer fund pediatric cancer research.
I’ve never been good at spritz cookies, but these sound amazing. Must try again 🙂
Now I totally need a cookie press. These look so delicious!!
These just went on my must-make-for-Christmas list (altho I might dip or drizzle them with chocolate, because….well….it’s chocolate!) I make zillions of cookies every year, and many are Spritz – it’s a family tradition. I also collect cookie presses for the different discs/shapes, and I have to tell you the OXO is my current favorite! Did you know that you can also get extra sets of the shaping discs? One is hearts/flowers/love and the other is fall-themed; I love them both and am waiting for more!
What a wonderful cause! I love this! And those cookies are adorable!
I love this flavor combo, Lauren…and I’m totally okay with having some cookies that adults would prefer in the house (so that I get to eat them)! And this may be the year that I take the plunge and buy an OXO cookie press (pun intended). 😉
I JUST saw the cookie press yesterday at the store….now I have a reason to go back and buy it. Your cookies look amazing and I love that OXO always participates in this program.
My first spritz cookies of the season. These sound scrumptious!
These are so pretty!
These are gorgeous cookies!! Love the coffee and hazelnut combo of flavors, too.
I remember having terrible luck using the cookie press with my kids. I still have the thing down in the basement, and I’m tempted – very tempted- to try out your recipe. But is there a new fangled gadget out there that you used?
yup – I used the OXO cookie press. You can see it in the photo with the unbaked cookies. It goes right up against the cookie sheet and you just click the handle down one time to press a cookie, then lift the whole thing move it down the sheet and press again for the next cookie. No more guessing how much batter you need to press out and no more hovering over the cookie sheet and hoping the shape actually forms correctly. 🙂