Cookie Press Butter Cookies are flower shaped cookies that make an edible bouquet! These melt-in-your-mouth morsels are super quick and easy to make with just 4 ingredients.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Make dozens of beautiful cookies in minutes with no extra decorating needed.
- This spritz cookie press recipe starts with a boxed cake mix which not only simplifies the preparation, but lends flavor and longer shelf life to the cookies.
- The longer shelf life makes these cookies awesome for care packages. Cookie Press Butter Cookies keep their melt-in-your-mouth texture for up to 2 weeks and the flavor gets even better with time.
- This easy recipe can be made in any color and in dozens different shapes. No cookie cutters needed!
- Flower shape cookies make a delicious gift for Mother’s Day or spring care packages.
If you have a cookie press that you only use for holiday season baking (or have never used) dig it out for some delicious baking any time of year.
Cookie presses come with discs to produce a variety of shapes that can be used year round. The color choices and flavorings are up to you.
This extra simple recipe starts with a cake mix and makes dozens of beautiful, buttery cookies in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cake mix, flour, and melted butter to form a smooth dough.
- For three colors of cookies, divide the dough into three pieces and place in separate bowls. Add 1-3 drops of gel food coloring onto each piece of dough. Knead the coloring into the dough.
- Fill the cookie press with one color of dough and press cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet about 1” apart.
- Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes or until edges just begin to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Tips for using a cookie press
- For best results, don't line or grease the baking pan. The dough will stick to the pan while pressing, but won't stick after baking.
- Baking pans should be room temperature or cold (refrigerated).
- Click the handle a few times to compress the dough inside the cylinder and bring it evenly to the disc openings.
- Hold the cookie press vertically on the cookie sheet.
- Pause before lifting the cookie press off the cookie sheet.
- The first few cookies may not form properly or stick properly. Just remove and reuse that dough.
- Leave space between the cookies for spreading.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet before transferring them.
Variations
- Use white cake mix and add flavoring such as peppermint, citrus, or almond extract.
- This recipe works with other flavors of cake mix as well. Try chocolate, spice, or lemon.
- Sandwich spritz cookies with frosting or melted chocolate.
Frequently asked questions
Using a cookie press may take a little practice. The most important tips are to use a recipe written for use with a cookie press and to bake on an unlined, ungreased room, temperature pan.
Yes. Freeze spritz cookies wrapped airtight for up to two months.
Cookies made in shapes with a cookie press are pretty without additional decorating, however, sprinkles or colored sugar can be added before baking. To attach sprinkles after baking, drizzle the cookies with a glaze or melted chocolate, then sprinkle.
Related recipes
Italian Butter Cookies are a bakery favorite that can be made with a cookie press or use a piping bag and an open star tip.
Strawberry Spritz Cookies are both adorable and delicious!
Chocolate Espresso Spritz Cookies are gorgeous Christmas spritz cookies sandwiched with melted chocolate.
This Spritz Cookies Recipe with shortening is ideal for hot weather care packages and summer picnics. Try the easy instructions for a colorful tie dye look.
The Monday Box recipe index makes it easy to find all of our cookie press recipes in one place.
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Cookie Press Butter Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted butter
- 1 box white cake mix
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- Food coloring gel
- sprinkles or decorating sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Insert desired disc into cookie press.
- Slice 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter into chunks. Place in a medium size microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute or until just melted. Slice the remaining 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter into the melted butter. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, until softened, and stir to a creamy, pourable consistency.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cake mix and flour.
- Add the butter to the flour mixture. Mix to combine completely into a smooth dough.
- For three colors of cookies, divide the dough into three pieces and place in separate bowls. Add 1-3 drops of food coloring gel onto each piece of dough. Knead the coloring into the dough.
- Fill the cookie press with one color of dough and press cookies onto the prepared baking sheets about 1” apart.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges just begin to turn golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- For best results, don't line or grease the baking pan. The dough will stick to the pan while pressing, but won't stick after baking.
- Baking pans should be room temperature or cold (refrigerated).
- Click the handle a few times to compress the dough inside the cylinder and bring it evenly to the disc openings.
- Hold the cookie press vertically on the cookie sheet.
- Pause before lifting the cookie press off the cookie sheet.
- The first few cookies may not form properly or stick properly. Just remove and reuse that dough.
- Wrap pairs of cookies, bottoms together, in plastic wrap.
- Fit rows of wrapped cookies snuggly into freezer weight ziplock bags or plastic storage containers.
- Be sure to pad the shipping box well so that nothing else inside the box presses against the cookies and there is no wiggle room inside the package.
Nutrition
First Published: May 1, 2016. Last Updated: June 20, 2023. Updated for additional information, improved photos, and better reader experience.
Angie
I just made these cookies and they were so easy to make and they were so delicious too..! Thank you for the recipe and just an fyi this was the first time I've used a cookie press.!
Jen
I'm sure this is amazing, haven't tried it yet, but when I found the origin of this recipe, it called for the 18 oz cake mix. Cake mixes are now 15 oz. Do the ingredients now need to be adjusted?
Wendy Sondov
The last time I made these cookies, the recipe did not need adjustment, however, I'm not positive when the boxed cake mixes changed their volume. I suggest mixing the dough as writen and doing a sample press of one or two cookies. If they don't hold their shape, simply mix in an additional 3 ounces of flour (6 tablepoons) to the dough to make up for the difference in cake mix weight.
Kristy Brill
Oh my god I cannot stop eating these. Very easy to make and turned out fabulous! Thank you for sharing the recipe
Laura Jean
This recipe is great. Dough is beautiful to work with. My 2nd batch I only had 1 cup of butter so I substituted 1 cup of butter Crisco for the other half. Worked fabulously. 2nd batch I also added almond. Will do lemon next time. Pressed perfectly with my Oxo, but I press onto a very lightly (very lightly) buttered cold sheet like I do my other Spritz recipes - no parchment. They bake beautifully for me and lift right off. I do "freeze" my cookie sheets before pressing.
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Laura Jean. I'm so glad your experiences with this recipe have been so successful! I love using my Oxo press too. 🙂
deborah paciaffi
want to make your reciepy but need ingredients for 2 or 3 dozen not for 72 dozen.
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Deborah. The recipe is for 72 cookies (6 dozen). I apologize for the typo in the recipe and have corrected it. You could try to figure out how much is half of the cake mix and cut the other ingredients in half too in order to make just 3 dozen. The recipe is written for the box of cake mix and that's just how many cookies it makes. They do freeze very well.
Jessica Flores
I want to make a batch of strawberry spritz cookies for Valentine's Day. Can I switch the white cake mix for strawberry cake mix? If I can make the switch, would the all purpose flour make the cookies unsweet?
If yes, how do I make the cookies sweeter?
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Jessica. Yes, you can absolutely switch the flavor of the cake mix to make these into strawberry cookies. Strawberry cake mix, just like the original white cake mix, has sugar in it. You don't have to change anything else in the recipe. The cookies should be sweet without anything additional. If you are concerned, I would press out one cookie and bake it as a test. If they aren't sweet enough for you, you could always add 1/4-1/2 cup of sugar, but I think you won't need it. Another option that doesn't use a cake mix is to try this other recipe that is for Strawberry Spritz Cookies https://themondaybox.com/strawberry-press-cookies/ Happy baking!
Paul H.
Just used this recipe and they turned out great. The one I first tried came with the cookie press it was a fail. I got frustrated and did not finish the batch. I found your recipe here and will use it from now on. Dough stuck to pan perfectly. I guess if I could give any tip, would say make sure your butter is at room temperature. I used Land O'Lakes (No Endorsement intended) because it's made with cream and does not contain water like most butters. Cool thing is you can use any flavor of cake mix, I used a fudge flavor cake mix. Just don't expect them to be sweet because there is no sugar added, which suits me because I'm not a fan of super sweet deserts. I did make a simple frosting to put on some for my grandkids. Great recipe, Thanks for publishing it.
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Paul. I'm so glad that this recipe worked so well for you. No question, it is super easy! Another suggestion for sweetening up the cookies for your grandkids is to sandwich two cookies together with something sweet in the middle. Melted chocolate makes a great "cookie glue". Thank you for taking the time to leave your helpful comment and 5 star rating! Happy baking!