Prep 30min (+15min cooling and 1hr standing time)Bake 15minMakes 20

The German word spritzen means to squirt and reflects the way these cookies are shaped – by pushing them through a piping nozzle. The almond meal in the dough gives a lovely soft, almost cakey, texture to these chocolate-dipped cookies that can be piped in various designs, including mini wreaths.

Ingredients

• 250g butter, softened
• 220g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 1½ teaspoon natural vanilla essence or extract
• 3 eggs
• 450g (3 cups) plain flour
• 60g almond meal 
• 300g good-quality dark chocolate (45-54% cocoa), chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line two large oven trays with non-stick baking paper.
2. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Combine the flour and almond meal. Add to the butter mixture and beat on the lowest possible speed until just combined.
3. Spoon half the mixture into a large piping bag fitted with a 13 mm (#13) star nozzle. Pipe 6­–7 cm circles onto the lined trays (see Baker’s tips). Repeat with the remaining mixture.
4. Bake for 15-18 minutes, swapping the trays halfway through baking, or until pale golden and cooked through. Cool on the trays.
5. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Turn off the heat but leave the bowl sitting on top. Dip a cooled cookie into the chocolate to coat half of the cookie. Place back on the lined tray and repeat with the remaining cookies. Tap the trays on the benchtop lightly to settle the chocolate into the grooves of the cookies, then set aside for about 1 hour or until the chocolate sets.

 

Baker's tips

• You can use a 6–7 cm round cutter as a guide to draw circles onto the underside of the baking paper to help keep your cookies uniform in size.
• These cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. 

This recipe is from Anneka's SBS Food online column, Bakeproof: Festive Cookies. 

CLICK HERE for more Bakeproof columns and recipes. 

Photography by China Squirrel.