Spritz butter cookies with chocolate
We love visiting Alsace in this time of the year. Two and a half hours by train and we are in another world, a world that sometimes seems like it was taken from a fantasy book, but real people live in it. This period in Alsace is one of the most beautiful, as it symbolizes the beginning of preparations for Christmas. Opening of the Christmas market- which originated in this region- decorating the colorful houses, and of course, the open doors event that our friend, Christine Ferber, is hosting.
One of our favorite things to do in Alsace is to take a car and wander between the picturesque villages. We can be in these villages again and again and we will never get tired. With no exact plan, every time we find another interesting house and another special shop while we meet fascinating people and breathe Alsacian air with a burning fireplace aroma.
Alsace has many culinary characteristics, one of which is the world of biscuits. When visiting the beautiful villages, almost every village has a cookie shop (in French: Biscuiterie), some are private shops, some are part of a famous chain in the area, and they all have a large variety of cookies of different types. One of the most famous cookies in the Alsace region is the SPRITZ cookie, in French it is also known as Sablés Viennois.
It is an addictive and very simple cookie to make that is usually baked for Christmas. The dough from which the cookie is made is very soft, so it’s piped using a pastry bag and a piping tip. After baking, the cookies can be dipped in chocolate, but you can eat it without chocolate as well.
I got this great recipe from my friend Pierre Hermé who, like the cookie, is also Alsatian. Pierre’s recipe is a treasure so you should keep it and of course make it yourself.
Spritz butter cookies with chocoalte
16 cookies (5 cm high and 7 cm wide)
Ingredients
190 g butter, very soft (not melted)
75 g confectioners sugar, sifted
Pinch of Fleur-de-Sel, or sea salt
Pinch of vanilla grains
1 egg white
225 g flour, sifted
For decoration: 200 g milk/dark chocolate
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius, line a big baking sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. In a mixer bowl cream together butter, confectioners sugar, Fleur-de-Sel and vanilla.
3. Add egg white, blend.
4. Add sifted flour in 2 times. Blend at a low speed until well mixed.
5. Using a spatula, clean the sides of the bowl and unite the dough, which should be soft and sticky.
6. Insert a medium star piping tip (D63 for example) into a piping bag, fill the piping bag with cookie dough.
7. Pipe the desired shapes on a baking paper-lined pan, I like to pipe a “W” shape – 5 cm high and 7 cm wide. It is recommended to keep spaces between the cookies, they spread slightly in baking.
8. Bake for about 12-15 minutes until the cookies are very golden (deep gilding strengthens the taste of the cookie). Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack.
9. Melt chocolate, dip the cookies halfway into the chocolate and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Adele
Hi Sharon
These are wonderful magic cookies and I’m sure I’ll make them soon – thanks for the wonderful recipe and what beautiful photos 💫🙏
Merci
Adele
Paris Chez Sharon
Thank you! So happy you loved it 🙂
Sue
Another winner Sharon. I am going to add these to my repertoire! I love the story about traveling through the beautiful little towns. Thank you!
Paris Chez Sharon
Thank you very much!
Gary Burge
Just want to say, these are absolutely amazing! I normally buy a tin of M&S biscuits at Christmas and my favourite one is the butter shortcake finger dipped in chocolate. I wondered if I could make them myself and came across this recipe. Super easy to make! Only problem I have is I’m struggling to find the correct piping tip but the one I have will suffice. I even decided to make these for family and friends as Christmas gifts!
Paris Chez Sharon
Hey 🙂 Thanks for your words, happy you liked it and wishing you Merry Christmas!!!
Karen Stromfeld
Love these! I made them for Hanukkah and everyone loved them. I had a little bit of a hard time squeezing them out of the pastry bag. The dough was a little stiff at first. Would letting the bitter soften even more than I did help?
Chag Sameach xx
Paris Chez Sharon
Hey! Glad you loved it, indeed very very soft butter.Happy Hanukkah!
Dia
I will try to make it🙏
Paris Chez Sharon
Great!
Natalie
Hi. What could I substitute for the vanilla grains? I don’t know where to get that here in Texas. Thanks
Paris Chez Sharon
Hey 🙂 You can add a few drops of vanilla extract.
Dora
Is it 170 c with fan (convection) or without? Thanks!
Paris Chez Sharon
Hey 🙂 Without.
Dora
Thank you so much! I just finished piping my cookies so perfect timing.
Paris Chez Sharon
Great! So happy 🙂
Siska
I made half the recipe and it was delicious! Do you think by cutting into half the recipe makes it harder to pipe?
Paris Chez Sharon
Hey 🙂 No, it’s the same.