Making Springerle

Photo: CookieRecipes.com - This is what store-bought Springerle looks like.

This Christmas I baked German springerle for the very first time. Easy and inexpensive to make, the cookies originate from Southern Germany. As an adult, I prefer Christmas cookies that are less gooey and sweet. Springerle fits the bill. The taste of anise (a spice also used in candy) is unique. Here is the recipe:

Springerle

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon butter
4 cups confessionary sugar (If out of confessionary sugar, substitute 2 cups of granulated sugar. Toss into a blender to grind)
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon of anise oil (or 6 teaspoons crushed anise seeds, or 3 teaspoons of anise extract. The oil is the strongest and best option if you can find it.)
6 cups all-purpose flour (You end up using about 9 cups - see below)
1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder with a capful of lemon juice to activate the baking soda {For baking soda to work, you either need buttermilk, vinegar, or lemon juice to activate it.}
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon salt

Extra flour (you'll need 2 to 3 extra cups) to knead and roll the dough.

Optional - 1 teaspoon vanilla. Not traditional and I omit it.

Directions:

In no way do my springerle look like the pros, but they are as delicious. 

1) Cream together the butter, sugar and eggs.

2) Add the anise (and optional vanilla).

3) Dissolve the baking powder and soda in the milk and add it. 

4) Next, combine the flour and salt into the mixture.

5) Form into a ball. Sprinkle with the extra flour to be able to touch and work with the dough. Turn out onto a floured flat surface and knead until elastic (about 5 minutes). Sprinkle with flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking.

6) Using a floured rolling pin, roll flat about 1/2 inch thick.

7) With a springerle mold or cookie cutter press an image into the dough and cut into cookies. (You will then get those beautiful cookies on top↑.)

Note: Unfortunately, I don't own real springerle molds (or a springerle roller), so I use a cookie cutter that has 3 reversible holiday templates (i.e. stamps)↗ to press an image into the cookies. If I run across springerle molds, I'll buy them for next year. 

If you lack a mold or stamp, try curving an image (recessive, not a protruding design) into a raw potato half to press an image onto the cookies. Another option is to cut the dough into diamond-shaped cookies without the traditional designs. (Some of the charm is lost, but they taste the same. Sprinkle powder sugar on top to dress up the diamonds.)

8) Lay the cookies on parchment paper or a buttered cookie sheet. Let the unbaked cookies sit and dry for 12 - 24 hours. This is necessary for the image to set and not bake away.

9) Pop the trays into a 300-degree F oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until the dough becomes a cookie. The finished cookies should be white, not golden brown.

I think of a springerle as an adult Christmas cookie. Anise is a sophisticated flavor, and despite the cookie having enough sugar, it doesn't taste super sweet. I like the cookie's moist, soft texture and aromatic, anise spice. Plus, you get a big puffy cookie!🎁



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