These spritz cookies are inspired by an Italian-American cookie made around Easter time. A glaze is drizzled over each cookie and then sprinkled with colored nonpareils. The Fiori di Sicilia is a baking extract that has notes of citrus and vanilla. You can, of course, use your own favorite extract– almond, lemon, whatever you like. If you don’t own a cookie press, you can use a pasty bag with a large tip to press out your cookies in whatever shapes you like.
For holidays, I like having an excuse to bake sugar cookies. This time, I opted to make spritz cookies with an Italian flourish.
These aren’t an authentic Italian cookie, but they are my own take on a traditional Italian citrus flavor cookie, that are shaped in knots or wreaths and sprinkled with multi-colored confetti.
King Arthur Flour sells a Fiori di Sicilia baking flavor that has notes of vanilla and citrus. I recently purchased an OXO Cookie Press, and thought I’d make a cream cheese version of spritz cookies. I have a tried and true all-butter version of spritz cookies that is one of our favorites. The cookies turn out crispy and buttery, and the dough is very easy to work with. It’s so easy, that I can easily bake dozens of cookies in a very short time.
This is where I’m going to be 100% honest with you. Ready? This cream cheese dough was a beast to work with! It’s a very soft dough, and I had to refrigerate it for at least 1/2 hour. Otherwise, I ended up pressing cookie pancakes. Arrrrrrrrrgh!
You might be thinking, “I don’t own a cookie press”, so I can’t make this recipe. You could pipe the dough with a large star tip, and I think I would have been a lot less frustrated had I gone this route.
A cookie press is a fun baking tool to add to your collection, though. While spritz cookies are most popular for Christmas, my men are happy anytime I make a buttery cookies like these. I’m also playing with making savory crackers.
For the glaze, I used a simple King Arthur Flour recipe. I first tried dipping each cookie into the glaze, but in the end …
TASTING NOTES: My honest opinion is that the cream cheese makes the texture of these cookies a tad bit softer and tones down the buttery flavor that I much prefer for spritz cookies. The Fiori di Sicilia extract can be very strong, so I’m glad I only added 1/4 teaspoon. The citrus notes were very subtle, in a good way. My husband really liked these, so I encouraged him to take them to the office so that I would not be tempted to eat them all. Don’t get me wrong, please. I’m not saying I didn’t like the cookies! I’m glad that I’ve baked an all-butter version and a cream cheese version for comparison. Personally, I’ll stick with all-butter.
“Easter” ItalianCream Cheese Spritz Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Press or Piping Bag with Star Tip
Ingredients
COOKIES:
- 1 cup unsalted butter 8 ounces, softened at room temperature
- 3 ounces cream cheese I use Philadelphia brand, softened at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia from King Arthur Flour (optional, but gives a citrus-vanilla flavor)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 11 1/4 ounces, sifted
- 1 egg white lightly beaten (optional, if not using glaze. Helps to adhere colored or coarse sugar, before baking)
GLAZE:
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ or glazing sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- Nonpareils for decorating
- Colored sugars or other decorations for sprinkling optional if not making the glaze.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F.
- With a stand mixer (use the paddle attachment) or a hand mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla and whatever extract you wish to use, and beat again until blended. Add the flour and mix on low speed until blended.
- Fit a cookie press with a die plate.
- Scoop up about a quarter of the dough* and, using a small amount of flour if needed, shape the dough into a log just narrower than the barrel of the cookie press.
- Slide the log into the cookie press and spritz the cookies directly onto ungreased baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
- (optional) Brush the tops with the beaten egg white and sprinkle with colored sugar if using. Repeat with the remaining dough. Otherwise, don’t brush with the egg white and sugar and bake plain. Then make the glaze.
- Bake until the cookies are just golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes (it’s best to bake one sheet at a time).
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet on a rack for 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely. Be sure the baking sheet is cool before spritzing more cookies.
Glaze:
- Blend all of the ingredients. I like to lay my cookies on a cooling rack, and then drizzle the glaze with a spoon. Or, you can dip each cookie in the glaze. Sprinkle with nonpareils or colored coarse sugar. Allow to dry for at least 15 minutes.
- Store at room temperature or freeze in an airtight container, separating the cookie layers with waxed paper.
- Tips: I found the dough to be a bit soft to work with my cookie press. I refrigerated the dough for about 30 minutes, and froze each baking sheet.
- Do NOT line the baking sheets with parchment paper, nor grease them. Spritz cookies want to be on a cool baking sheet.
- The reason for freezing the baking sheets, is to prevent spreading of the cookies.
These cookies look fabulous, they'll be perfect all spring long! I've wanted to try that flavoring for the longest time, it sounds so enticing. Happy Easter Debby!
The cookies look wonderful. Perfect for a good cup of coffee.
Your cookies are so pretty Debby. I miss Easter baskets too. Wishing you and your family a very blessed Easter.
Sam
These cookies are so cute!! I love that they have hints of the traditional Italian cookie flavor.
Debby,
By the time you receive this comment, I hope that your husband and you both feel a lot better! We too, spent a very quiet Easter holy day together and sometimes, it seems that's a necessary thing . . . for relaxation, contemplation, and restoration of the body, soul and mind. I love these cookies and continually tell my beloved German/Scottish husband that Italians do know how to do sweets/cookies/pastries despite their fame for savory recipes. My Bill has an extraordinary sweet tooth and is in for a big surprise when we visit Italy in May for all of the sweets that he knows so little of. I hope that you had a "Buona Pasqua"!
Roz
These are happy cookies, Debby. I can't look at them without smiling. I love the little shapes and the colorful little sprinkles on top. I can't wait to get my cookie press so I can make some of my own.