Buttery sweet spritz cookies get a keto makeover. These keto Christmas cookies are perfect for your healthy holidays, and you can make them ahead and freeze them. This makes a ton of cookies, so it’s an ideal recipe for gift-giving. Or just make a half batch of these wonderful low carb cookies and save them all for yourself!
Someone has been holding out on me. I feel cheated, I feel robbed, I feel like I’ve been hanging out in the dark when everyone else has been living it up in the light. Why, oh why, didn’t someone tell me how fun Spritz cookies are to make??? 40+ years I’ve lived without the joy of pushing cookie dough out of a press into fun holiday shapes. Okay so some of this might be by own fault. I might have been unfair to the poor spritz cookie, thinking it a rather plain, flavourless cookie that had very little to recommend it to my taste buds. But in my defense, I have been offered many a plain, flavourless cookie that had little to recommend it to my taste buds so I am a touch gun-shy. Perhaps that was part of the conspiracy, to keep me in the dark about the joy of truly good spritz cookies. An evil plan indeed.
Nevertheless, I prevailed. I didn’t grow up with spritz cookies in Canada, so they weren’t really high on my to-make list. But after many requests for a keto spritz cookie recipe, I broke out the cookie press languishing in my cellar and gave it a go. I knew I needed just the right dough, one that was soft enough to push easily through the disks and yet maintain its shape when baked. It was a huge gamble for me but apparently I was brave feeling brave that day because instead of just doing a little half batch, I threw caution to the wind and made a double batch. I wanted enough to give away as Christmas gifts and I figured I could put a few test cookies into the oven and if they were too soft, I could add more almond or coconut flour.
After doing some research in spritz cookies, I also decided to add a little orange zest to enhance the flavour. I came across a Martha Stewart recipe for orange spritz cookies and thought it sounded lovely. You certainly don’t have to add any to yours if you want straight up buttery spritz cookies but I have a hard time doing anything in “plain” flavour anymore. It’s the food blogger’s gut instinct to want to come out with a new and unique flavour for everything and my gut instinct also urged me to dip some of the cookies in chocolate. I apologize to spritz cookie purists, but this Canuck grew up with some British holiday treats, including Terry’s Chocolate Orange – you know, the one you crack open on a table and it actually comes apart like an orange??? Maybe you haven’t a clue what I am talking about, but it’s something many a child gets in their Christmas stocking in Commonwealth countries. So chocolate and orange just scream holiday flavour to me.
Oh my, what fun I had making these low carb holiday spritz cookies. I couldn’t believe that the huge batch of dough I made took less than an hour to shape bake into 90+ cookies. That press is amazing and awesome and a wonderful cookie-making time-saving device. Just a quick turn of the press and I had a snowman or a Christmas tree or a flower or a wreath. And when they came out of the oven, I popped a single mini M&M in the center of some of them. When they cooled, I dipped the bottoms of half the cookies in dark chocolate and left the rest plain. They looked gorgeous.
And they tasted amazing too. They had a lovely orange-scented, buttery flavour and a slightly soft and yet slightly crisp texture. I think they are spot on, but you spritz cookie lovers will have to tell me if they meet your expectations. I sure hope so because these were a huge hit with friends and family.
Keto Spritz Cookies Recipes
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 4 cups almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 ¼ cup Swerve Sweetener
- 2 large eggs
- Zest of one large orange
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Decorations:
- Mini M&Ms, nonpareils, chopped nuts etc (optional)
Chocolate Dip (optional):
- 3 ounces sugar-free dark chocolate
Instructions
- For the cookies, preheat oven to 325F and line several large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat butter with sweetener until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg, orange zest and vanilla.
- Beat in almond flour mixture until dough comes together.
- Fill the canister of a cookie press with dough and fit press with your plate of choice. Follow manufacturer's directions regarding how to press out cookies (mine requires a quarter to half a turn of the handle).
- Press cookies out onto parchment lined cookie sheets. If the cookie does not release well from the cookie press, try holding the parchment down against the cookie sheet as you lift the press. You also may need a bit more dough to come through the press to release properly. (This takes a bit of practice at first, but if you mess up and end up with a blob of dough, you can just pick it up and put it back into the press).
- Bake cookies 12 to 14 minutes, or until set but not browning much around the edges. They will be quite soft still.
- Add any decorations immediately upon removing from oven. Let cool on pans at least 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the chocolate dip, place a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water (bottom of bowl should not touch water). Line a baking with waxed paper or parchment paper.
- Add chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth (if your chocolate is too thick for coating, add some butter or oil a teaspoon at a time until the right consistency is achieved).
- Add cookies, one at a time, face up into the melted chocolate so bottom is coated. Remove with a fork and tap fork against the side of the bowl gently to remove excess chocolate.
- Place cookies on prepared baking sheet and let set. You can dip all the cookies, half of them or none of them, it's up to you!
Cathy Sagmo Parks says
I would love to try these, but I do not own a cookie press.
Any recommendations for a particular style or brand of cookie press?
Carolyn says
I have the one from Pampered Chef, but I think Wilton makes a good one as well.
Anita says
I have been following you for months and dabbling in a few of your recipes here and there. BUT TODAY!!!!!! You won me over heart and soul!! I grew up making Spritz cookies with mom. I’ve carried on the tradition year after year with great glee – until this year. Yes, I still baked them, but for the first time in my life, I didn’t eat any, and that didn’t feel right. Just two days later, I discover that you have brought that light back to my life and I am forever grateful. I can’t wait to get home and get these in the oven 🙂
Carolyn says
That’s wonderful to hear!
Joy says
I have been greatly enjoying your recipes! Been keto for a little over a year but have always had a sweet tooth. We made these cookies every year as a child and loved them. I tried these the other day and couldn’t believe how well they turned out. Didn’t have to chill the dough to get it to the right consistency and went thru the press perfectly. Also really enjoyed the combination of orange and chocolate! Thanx!
Carolyn says
Very glad to hear it!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
These sound delicious! Dangerously good…
krissy says
Due to my families gluten allergy im always on the lookout for some grain free treats. I cant wait to give these a try! thank you!
Toni says
I’ve always loved the look of Spritz cookies and have a press to make them. I LOVE that you’ve made them gluten-free so my family can actually eat them now.
Mallory Lanz says
Love the chocolate and orange combination this time of year!
Jamielyn says
Love the addition of the chocolate! These look delicious!
julia says
these worked out perfectly!! i halved the recipe, used half cane sugar and half coconut sugar (wasn’t looking for low carb, just gluten free with the flours i had), and used softened coconut oil instead of butter. i also used lemon as i didnt have an orange. they were beautifully crisp and held their shape well!! thank you!!
Carolyn says
Glad they worked out!
Esther R. says
So many shapes to make . Kids love the make Spritz cookies.
Dany says
Hi Carolyn ,
In the little Christmas ebook that contains the recipe, the butter is in the list of ingredients but not included in the instructions of the recipe. Fortunately I found it strange … (But what about butter?) And I checked on the site ..
Maybe you have done the correction since.
These little spritz cookies are beautiful and super good.
Thank you for feasting us every time =;o)
Dana says
Loving this recipe! I always make spritz cookies at Christmas and this recipe actually comes out of my press better than my traditional recipe! I switched out the orange and vanilla for 2 tsp of almond extract, since that is the flavor I like for my spritz. Thank you for your effort!
Melissa Hocking says
Any ideas if I can swap the orange zest for almond extract? If so how much almond extract?
Carolyn says
You can swap it with whatever extract you like! The same amount should do it.
Marcelle Costanza says
I’ve died and gone to heaven. I thought my first keto Christmas (4 weeks in) would be sans my annual spritz cookie making marathon but you saved my holiday! I just got through making a batch and they taste just like my originals, if just a little crunchier. I used lemon extract instead of the orange zest, and put a tiny dollop of sugar free raspberry preserves in the middle before baking them. YUM! YUM! YUM! I also used to make then with half butter and half cream cheese. Think I will try that next time. Do you think if I use the powdered erythritol it might make them a little less grainy? THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!! Now it REALLY feels like Christmas!!!
Carolyn says
I am thrilled to hear it! That’s my mission…no keto newbie goes deprived. I think half cream cheese should work fine, as will the powdered erythritol.
Diana says
can you use THM Baking Blend in place of the other flours?
Carolyn says
I’ve never tried it with these. It’s drier so you may have to adjust other ingredients.
patricia says
Oh these look so good, but I must be dairy free. What would you suggest to sub for the butter?
Thanks
Shelby says
I am loving all of your recipes! Now you make me want to go out and buy the spritz cookie maker! I used to have one years ago and would make them when the kids were little. I haven’t bothered since they left, but this would make it fun for me again and I could eat Spritz cookies that were good for me!
Carol says
Thanks for this recipe! Our tradition was to color the cookies – green and red (or pink, I should say, as that’s how they turned out). Love it. May have to buy a press now!
Carolyn says
You could definitely do that!
Jennifer Farley says
I seriously cannot wait to try this!
Brandie says
Such a wonderful recipe to have on hand! Definitely making sure my Momma has this one in her files!