Springerle Cookies from Germany

Have you heard of Springerle cookies from Germany? Traditionally they are made with anise seed. However, I don’t really like that flavor and instead made them with orange zest and vanilla extract. If you want to do the traditional flavor, I have you covered as well. Springerle cookies are a cookie that needs to be made in advance. It takes three days until they are baked and will intesify in flavor over the course of weeks. For that reason I recommend making them already now if you want to try them for Christmas. If you believe Wikipedia, Springerle cookies were already made in the Middle Ages and served for a lot of festivities, including weddings. The cookie molds were made from pear trees and passed down from generation to generation. I found my cookie mold here in Munich at the store Holzstandl, you may also try Etsy.

Tips for perfect Springerle:

• The prepared dough should rest at least 12 hours in the fridge before you continue as it is otherwise too sticky to handle.
• This dough is rolled out thick. You are looking for a thickness somewhere between 0.8cm to 1cm. Reason for this being the “cookie stamp”, which you need to press deep into the cookie for it to show later.
• Cornstarch is the secret. Instead of using regular flour, you want to use cornstarch for your surface and before stamping the cookies. Cornstarch does not contain gluten and makes it easier to see the stamp.
• You need to follow all the resting periods, this is important for good results. Only if you have a super dry top, the cookies will develop their typical feet and “spring open” (this is also where the German name comes from).
• Be sure only to dampen the bottom of the cookies, otherwise there is the danger that the cookie also cracks on the top and your stamp will be ruined.
• Springerle can be used as Christmas ornaments. Just cut a hole before baking on the desired spot. I did this with a toothpick.
• Tip: I halved the original recipe as I wanted to make sure that all worked out. Below I still show only half the recipe. I think this is a good starting point if you make these cookies for the first time. Of course you are free to double it.

Credit: Slightly adapted from Life is full of goodies, cookbook “Internationales Plätzchenbuch“, page 119

Print Recipe

German Springerle Cookies

Serves: About 20 cookies

Prep Time: 1hr 30min – Cooking Time: 20min – Total Time: 2hr

German Springerle cookies are made over the course of three days due to a lot of drying periods and are a cookie already known in the Middle Ages. Think a mix between a sugar cookie and a French macaron.

Ingredients

• 100 grams of eggs (in Germany roughly 2 eggs size L or 3 eggs size M)
• 1/2 teaspoon of baker's ammonia (ammonium bicarbonate, alternatively baking soda)
• 250 grams of icing sugar
• Optional: 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 250 grams of cake flour
• Optional: zest of one orange
• Traditionally: one tablespoon of whole anise seeds, I left them out
• Cornstarch for dusting

Instructions

1

Beat the eggs with the baker's ammonia for about 2-3 minutes or until paler in color and thicker in consistency. Add the icing sugar by the spoonful and the vanilla extract (if using). Once all sugar was added, beat for 10 minutes on medium. Meanwhile weigh and sieve the flour and mix with orange zest if using. Again, add by the spoonful and combine for a few minutes until you have a soft and sticky dough. Transfer to an airtight container and chill in the fridge for at least four hours, better is overnight.

2

On the next day, roll out dough thick (0.8cm to 1cm) on a surface floured with cornstarch. You will need this thickness in order for the cookie designs to show. My cookie mold had exactly that thickness. Now press the mold into the dough, you will need to use a lot of strength, try to press down evenly. You may also add a bit of cornstarch on the surface of the dough, you don't want the mold to stick. Cut out the designs with another cookie cutter, a pizza cutter or, as I did, with a glass. Let the cookies rest on parchment paper or a simple cotton cloth for about 24 hours, you want the surface to be completely dry.

3

On the next day preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Either brush the bottom of each cookie with water or use a damp towel and let them sit on it for about 30 seconds. If you want to do the traditional cookie with anise seeds, be sure you have good quality anise seeds, which I would recommend roasting first. Then dunk the bottom of the cookie in the seeds so that some stick. Bake for about 15-20 minutes on medium rack. The cookies should develop feet and the feet will have a slightly darker color. However, springerle cookies are supposed to keep a really pale surface. Once cool, transfer to a cookie box. The flavor will intensify and they keep for a few weeks.