Spritz Bars - Easier than The Cookies

Spritz Bars are a faster way to make Spritz cookies all dressed up with Swedish Pearl Sugar and drizzled in chocolate.  With October being cookie month, I wanted to bring you a cookie that’s not in my new book, Craving Cookies. 

Because I wanted the Spritz Bars to hold their shape, they require a bit more flour.   Other than that, they are the same.

Swedish Pearl Sugar

I love using Swedish Pearl sugar for its pure white pebbles that don’t melt under heat.  They add a wonderful crunch to cookies.  They can be found online.  I use Lars, but there are other brands available.  Don’t confuse the Swedish Pearl Sugar with the Belgium Pearl Sugar as those sugar crystals are much larger.

These Spritz Bars will make a great addition to your Christmas Cookies.

Ingredients

BACK ROW: Cake Flour, Swedish pearl sugar

MIDDLE ROW: Egg Yolks, almond extract, granulated sugar

FRONT ROW: European Butter

Recipe Ingredients

1 cup unsalted European butter, softened (225 grams, 8 ounces or 2 sticks)
½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams or 3 ½ ounces)
1 tablespoon almond extract
2 egg yolks
3 cups cake flour (375 grams or 13 ⅛ ounces)
Swedish Pearl sugar (about 225 grams or 8 ounces)
2 to 3 ounces semisweet chocolate (85 grams)

Instructions

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C.  Line several baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.

Step 2. Place the butter, sugar, and almond extract in a mixing bowl. Cream until combined.

Step 3. Add the egg yolks and beat until light. 

Step 4. Add the flour gradually and beat until everything is well blended. The dough will be a bit sticky. That is how it should be.

Step 5. Cut off two pieces of wax paper or foil large enough to overhang the pan by a couple of inches on both sides.  Roll the dough between wax paper to 18”x13”.  It will be about ⅛” thick.  Place it in a half sheet pan.

Alternatively, divide the dough in half and roll each piece into a 9x13” rectangle.  

Whichever you decide, cover the dough with the pearl sugar and press in firmly.

Step 6. Cover the dough completely with pearl sugar, pressing it into the dough slightly. Place in the freezer until partially, but not completely frozen. It should be firm.

Step 7. Cut the dough into 2 ½ x 1 ¼ inch rectangles.  I used the cookie dough cutter that I talked about in the Oreo Taco post.  I love it for it’s ease of cutting identical size bars. Cut lengthwise into 1 ¼” strips. Adjust the size to 2 ½” and cut crosswise.  Done! 

The bars can also be cut with a ruler and knife.   In either case, the dough must be cold and firm.  

Step 8. When ready to bake, run a spatula under the cookies to free them from the paper.

Step 9. Most likely, they will come off about 2 to 4 at a time.  Break them along the cutting lines and place them 4 wide x 4 down on half sheet pans.

Freeze the Spritz Bars until hard. When ready to bake, run a spatula under the cookies to free them from the paper.Most likely, they will come off about 2 to 4 at a time.  Break them along the cutting lines and place them 4 wide x 4 down on half sheet pans.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until just browning on the edges.  Do not overbake.

Step 10. Cool the baked bars in the pans.

To Finish

Step 1. Melt the semisweet chocolate at half power in the microwave or over simmering water.  Drizzle it over the cookies.  Allow the chocolate to set up before storing them.

Yield: Approximately 48 Spritz Bars

Storage:  Let the chocolate set up completely.  Stack with paper between them in a closed tin where they will last for weeks.

Note:  These Spritz Bars are actually better if they are stored for a few days in the tin. The size of the bars can be made larger or smaller as you choose.  When you break them apart, some of the Swedish Pearl sugar will fall off.  Save this as it can be used later.

The bars can also be cross cut again to make square cookies.  Adjust the size as desired.