Spritz cookies are always associated with Christmas. Small, perfectly-shaped pop-able shortbread-like cookies in festive colors, adorned by sprinkles and just begging to be eaten. How much more fun are these then, that they are gluten free spritz cookies?!
While store-bought gluten-filled spritz are ubiquitous on grocery store shelves this time of year, finding gluten free spritz cookies at the holidays has been like finding the cookie unicorn. Until now. This recipe is so easy (where has it been all our lives?!) and of course, homemade is always better!
In German, spritzen means “to squirt,” which is exactly how you make these merry cookies.
The dough in spritz cookies is heavy on the butter (or vegan butter substitute) so that it is soft enough to push through the spritz cookie press, also affectionately referred to as a cookie “gun” like this one: 
The recipe makes a pliable gluten free dough — even when made vegan – and makes lovely shapes that you can decorate before or after baking, to put your own spin on these jovial cookies.
Unlike almost any other cookie recipe, for spritz cookies, don’t use parchment or an oiled cookie sheet. The gun squirts out dough which will stick to the dry cookie sheet and allow you to pull away, leaving the cookie behind. Using parchment or oil will mean that the dough comes with the gun and doesn’t stay behind. Not a an irreparable result, just more work for you. (And who wants that?!)
With my award-winning gfJules Flour, these cookies are light and just the right amount of sweet with none of the grit that usually comes with gluten free.
In other words, bake up a batch of these babies and take them to your office party. I dare you. No one will ever know they’re gluten free, and you can nosh away on delicious holiday cookies along with everyone else. I call it “cookie inclusion.” You should try it.
And while we’re talking holiday cookie recipes, you’ll definitely also want to check out: Gluten Free Italian Taralli Cookies; Gluten Free Candy Cane Cookies; and of course Gluten Free Cut-Out Sugar Cookies!
Gluten Free Spritz Cookies Recipe
Gluten Free Spritz Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 Tbs. (2.5 oz) butter or non-dairy alternative (I like Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. almond extract (optional)
- 1 egg (or Ener-G® egg substitute, prepared)
- 1 ½ cups gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- Food coloring, if desired
- Sanding sugar or gluten free sprinkles, if desired
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Add extracts and egg or substitute. Slowly stir in flour and salt until fully integrated.
Divide dough into the number of colors you would like to make with your dough. Return one portion to the mixing bowl and add food coloring to the desired color. Remove to a separate bowl and cover to keep soft. Repeat with remaining dough.
Prepare your spritz press by selecting the disc for the cookie shape you choose. Fill the spritz press with the color dough you like, then press out onto a clean, ungreased, unlined cookie sheet. The dough will not stick to the sheet and detach from the press if the cookie sheet is lined with parchment or is oiled.
Follow the manufacturer’s directions for specific instructions on how to use your press to make all the cookies. Sprinkle with sanding sugar or gluten free sprinkles before baking, if desired.
Bake for 6-7 minutes and remove before the cookies begin to brown. Gently loosen them from the cookie sheets with a spatula while hot, then allow them to cool for 5 minutes to remove to a wire rack.
Notes
(recipe is easily doubled)
Right? Yep. Grab this pin now and bake gluten free spritz cookies anytime the craving hits!
Some of us are still using our old family spritz makers 😉 and I can tell you that they certainly don’t squirt out easily! It’s a labor of love, but I’ll keep using it cuz I love spritz cookies and family memories! …yes, the dough should be warm and slightly sticky. Thanks, Jules.
I love this, Janet! So glad you didn’t have to hang up your spritz maker when you went gluten free!!!!
~jules
Hi! Excited to try these-got your flour, earth balance sticks, and the cookie maker you suggested… mine would not stick to the pan. I used a knife for a few, but that didn’t work very well. Any ideas? Followed instructions exactly. Felt like it was an issue with the dough… maybe not sticky enough? Thanks so much! I ended up just making snow ball shapes and kids loved them:)
Hi Lisa, that is always the trick with spritz — gluten free or not. Usually cutting them off at the gun tip with a knife is the best way to get them to separate, but it really just seems to be a perfect temperature, “all in the angle” kind of thing everyone gets the hang of or figures out one way or the other for themselves … or improvises with snowball shapes! Because it’s all about the taste!!! Sorry for the frustration though. I know that can be a bummer, but it does seem like sometimes it works with no issues and other times it doesn’t. If the dough was particularly cold this time, try less cold next; or if not cold, try cold next time. That can help one way or the other. So glad it was tasty though!
~jules
These cookies were delicious! Definitely use the almond extract! Yummy and fun to make.
SO cute, Maggie!!! I love the decorations ON the spritz! I think most people just squirt out the spritz cookies and go — your embellishments are superb!!!!
~jules
I have found that if the dough is a little moist the cookie comes out from the press easier
Good tip, Phylis!
~jules
This is a tricky cookie. I had to reheat my dough in the microwave for 10 seconds to soften it. I couldn’t get the pressed cookie to adhere to the cookie sheet but my granite counter top worked great. I then transferred the pressed cookie to the baking sheet. Bake 5-6 minutes top. They are really good. Just have to practice with this dough and press.
Cookie presses can be persnickety. I’m glad you figured out what worked for you and persisted! These yummy cookies are worth it!
~jules
So… I am trying to make these and the dough is very crumbly. When I put the dough through the gun it is VERY difficult to push out and then just come out in one long string that I have to cut with a knife to get off. What did I do wrong? I followed the recipe EXACTLY.
Hi Sara, often it’s necessary to cut the dough with a knife when it comes out of the spritz gun, as it doesn’t want to separate. I always keep a butter knife handy for that. Otherwise, were you using my gfJules Flour? Did you weigh or use a cup measure to measure your flour? Here are some baking tips on that. It could be that the measurements were off just enough to make the dough too stiff to work easily with the gun. How did they turn out when baked?
~jules
Had same problem. And I felt it needed more taste. Love the flour but need to experiment with to have them come out just a little better taste. Have been using your flours and love and recommend the products.
These are so cute for Christmas! I always want to make these cookies but need to get the press….guess I’m heading to amazon again .
They are super fun – it’s probably a purchase worth making. I mean, … cookies!!!
~jules
I used to make Spritz cookies with my mom every year at Christmas time, man this brings back memories! I haven’t ever tried making them gluten free, thanks for the recipe!
You are so very welcome! I hope you resurrect those memories and start baking them again this year!
~jules
So do we use parchment paper/oil surface or not? I use parchment to avoid cross contamination and would have to purchase a new cookie sheet.
I use parchment in ALL my baking EXCEPT spritz. The dough just won’t stick and come off the gun. You could try using a knife to cut the dough off the gun and place them on parchment if you don’t have any clean trays. Hope that helps!
~jules
Do you think this dough would do okay frozen and thawed? Would love to double the recipe to have some dough on hand! (Also WOW it’s been a long time since I had a real, homemade spritz cookie. Can’t wait!!)
Hmmmmm, not totally sure, Jules, but I don’t know why not! It would need to be thawed well, as it won’t go through the gun easily if it’s too cold, so factor that thawing time into your baking plan. Let me know how it goes!
~jules