When making cookies of any kind, it can be really stressful to not have the consistency or texture that you desired. What’s even more annoying is when you are facing these issues and you just don’t know why. Anyone doing a bit of holiday baking or just making spritz cookies for fun might be wondering why their dough is not sticky enough and why it is refusing to stick to the baking sheet. Here’s what to do when your spritz cookie dough won’t stick to pan for baking!
Table of Contents
- How To Get Spritz Cookies To Stick
- What Are Spritz Cookies?
- Using A Cookie Press
- Are Spritz Cookies Good?
- Spritz Cookie Dough Won’t Stick To Pan FAQs
How To Get Spritz Cookies To Stick
It can be difficult to make spritz cookies stick to the pan and this is even more frustrating if you are doing holiday baking and have somewhat of a time limit.
Thankfully, there are ways to make sure that your baked cookies will turn out completely fine and that your spritz dough will stick to your pan.
Add Flour or Sugar
If you are having trouble with your cookies sticking, it is worth first looking at the dough and seeing if it was made correctly.
The dough should be slightly sticky and will have some hold when you touch it and try to let go. However, it should not be so sticky to the point where it sticks to the inside of your cookie press and nothing else.
If it is too sticky, add some more sifted flour or sanding sugar to the dough to make it more tacky than sticky.
Add Butter
If you have the opposite problem where it is not sticky at all, it would be worth it to make a butter mixture and massage that into your dough. This will make the dough slightly stickier and could be all you need to get your cookies working.
If the dough is completely fine and it is a different issue, there are still ways to help with this.
Lightly spray cooking oil inside the cookie press so that the cookies do not get stuck to it. If they can easily slide out with no resistance, they are more likely to stick to the baking sheet.
Check Cookie Sheet
Speaking of, the cookie sheet could also be the issue as to why your spritz cookies are not sticking properly. It is important to not use parchment paper or a silicone mat as these are known to have the same effect as nonstick trays. If you want your shaped cookies to stick, you will need to make sure your cookie sheet is not too stick-proof.
A great way to quickly fix this issue is to start using cold baking sheets and slightly warm dough. If you place your cookie sheet in the freezer for a few minutes, maybe 10 at most, you will be able to get your dough to stick much easier. Especially if your dough is slightly warm as this will make it considerably stickier. While the cookie sheet is in the freezer, leave your cookie press with the dough inside in a warmer spot.
Did you know you can also refrigerate or freeze cookie dough for a better shape?
It is best to use warm butter when making spritz cookies as this will make the dough a lot stickier. You want the butter to be very soft, so that it cannot retain its shape, but not melting. You also want to mix it into your dough before you let the butter cool completely.
What Are Spritz Cookies?
Spritz cookies are a special type of cookie that comes from the German word “spritzen”. This roughly translates into the word “squirt” which is a reference to how the cookies are shaped and made.
To make these cookies you will need a cookie press, which acts as the device you squirt the cookie dough out of. Once the cookie dough is in the cookie press, the dough is squeezed right onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
It is very important that the cookie dough is tacky enough to the point where it will stick to the cookie sheet and not stay stuck to the cookie press.
Spritz cookies are commonly shaped in decorative ways, thanks to the cookie press’ ability to have different discs that act as stencils and are interchangeable. A lot of cookie press’ that you buy will have multiple attachments that you can swap out to change the shape of your spritz dough once it is on the baking sheet.
Spritz cookies are very commonly further decorated after they have been baked and are known to pair well with icing and other garnishes such as sprinkles. This can be great for a themed snack at a party or just a fun art-inspired food.
Is Spritz Cookie Dough The Same As Normal Cookie Dough?
The dough used for spritz cookies is quite different to a regular cookie recipe as it is missing a very key ingredient. The exclusion of baking powder is almost immediately noticeable when you look at a recipe for spritz cookies and there is a very good reason as to why you want to leave it out.
Once you have used a spritz cookie press to place your cookies on baking sheets, you want them to remain in the shape that you have decided to use. This is why you need a slightly sticky cookie dough and absolutely no baking powder. The sticky dough helps to keep it in place so that it does not become a mess and the lack of baking powder ensures that the cookies do not rise or move while they are being cooked. This also changes the texture of the cookies and will make them very similar to shortbread.
It is very rare that parchment paper is used when making spritz cookies. This is because parchment paper is know for having a greased surface and helping food not get stuck to baking sheets. As our goal is to make sure the cookies stick, clean metal baking sheets are much better instead of parchment paper.
Using A Cookie Press
Buying and using a cookie press can be a very difficult thing for someone who has never used one before in their life. Making spritz cookie dough is one thing but actually being able to do the rest of the work is completely different.
Firstly, if you have not got a cookie press yet but are interested in making spritz cookies, it is worth looking around for a high-quality yet affordable cookie press. The Pampered Chef cookie press is very well-reviewed and comes in at quite an affordable price depending on which one you get. Other than this, you will always have very cheap cookie press’ and very expensive ones too.
When it comes to spritz cookies, you get what you pay for. If you buy a quite cheap press, you will get a quite cheap cookie. The middle ground is perfectly acceptable for someone who is wanting to start exploring spritz cookies, so maybe it is worth getting a good cookie press.
Are Spritz Cookies Good?
Spritz cookies can be a bit scary to make if you do not have a brilliant idea on what you are doing, yet once you get the hang of it they are incredibly fun to make and are super delicious. You can easily find cookie sheets that are designed for spritz cookies to make the whole ordeal much easier and as long as you follow the above tips, you’ll be a pro in no time.
It can be a bit weird baking something without parchment paper but you have got to trust the process on this one. Once they have cooked, put them on a cooling rack or a wire rack and let them cool while you prepare a delicious cream butter icing.
Spritz Cookie Dough Won’t Stick To Pan FAQs
How do you get spritz cookies to hold their shape?
Spritz cookies hold their shape by sticking to the cookie sheet they are baked on. Once they are shaped, the bottom layer is stuck to the tray and if it is sticky enough, the shape will retain. When they are being cooked they still retain their shape and this is thanks to the exclusion of baking powder from this recipe. Baking powder normally is used to help raise cookies and give them a fluffy texture, yet as we want the cookies to stay in the same shape the dough was, no baking powder is needed.
Is spritz cookie dough supposed to be sticky?
Absolutely. You want your spritz dough to be relatively sticky but not too sticky. While this may sound confusing, you want it a bit stickier than tacky. Once it sticks and has a firm grip on a sheet but is not glued to it – that is when you will know it is right.
