If I were to rank my favorite cookies, spritz would take the top spot without question, even before my recipe for ultra-soft chocolate chip cookies with oversized chunks.
Spritz, also known as sprits (not to be confused with the classic Italian wine-based cocktail), and sometimes called Swedish or Viennese shortbread (“sablés viennois”), are delicate, buttery cookies of German origin dating back to the 17th century. Their shape and ingredients shift subtly from one tradition to another, which is part of their enduring charm.
Here, I’m sharing a French version from Alsace-Lorraine, dipped halfway in glossy, melted chocolate. In France, you can find them easily in supermarket aisles, where the recipe has long been embraced by large-scale producers, but the taste of homemade is simply incomparable. It’s an easy, hands-on recipe, perfect for baking with children. They’ll love dipping the cookies into warm chocolate, or painting it on with a pastry brush for a more whimsical finish. The hardest part? Resisting the temptation to eat them before the chocolate has time to set ;).
Chocolate-Dipped French Spritz Cookies from Alsace
Ingredients
- 14 tbsp (200 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup + 2 tbsp (100 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg white
- 2 cups + 1 tbsp (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 3½ oz (100 g) dark or milk chocolate, depending on preference
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the butter into small pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the salt and vanilla, then mix in the egg white until well incorporated.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in the flour until just combined, do not overmix.
- Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (at least ½ inch / 13 mm wide). Pipe the dough onto the prepared baking sheet into “I”, “O” or “W”-shaped cookies, leaving some space between each.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (double boiler method).
- Dip each cookie halfway into the melted chocolate, letting any excess drip off. Place back onto parchment paper and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate is set.
