SPRITZ

GERMANY

16TH CENTURY

 

OTHER NAMES: Spritzgebäck (German), Swedish Butter Cookies, or Pressed Butter Cookies [1]

 

Spritz cookies are Crisp, fragile, and buttery tasting. They originated in Germany during the Medieval European period around 16th century. [2] In the United States, the German name “Spritzgebäck” is often shortened to spritz. [3]

 

This cookie is traditionally served during Christmas in Germany and other Scandinavian countries. [4] Like how the original name, “Spritzgeback” refers to German verb “Spritzen”, meaning “to squirt” in English, the German style Spritz cookies were made through squirting or pushing the soft dough through a cookie press to make fancy designs. A Norwegian style Spritz is traditionally in shapes of S's and O's.

 

The tradition was to pass down to young children who will inherit the special recipes from their parents. [5] Today there are so many popular recipe variations with different flavors such as lemon, coffee, peanut butter, almond, etc. It is also common to decorate with toppings like icing, desiccated coconut, or dipping in melted chocolate.

 

BASIC INGREDIENTS:

Flour, butter, sugar, eggs, flavoring

 

Optional: almond extract, citrus extract, salt, baking powder, Dipped in melted chocolate, sugar dust on top