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Bardzo-mi-milo-jestem, Netherlands
 

 

 

 

 

International Recipe Exchange

 

 

We are featuring German Christmas cookie recipes this month

 

 

* Vital tip: Leave your cookie dough mixture in the refrigerator overnight before baking.

 

 

Lebkuchen Christmas Cookies

2 Cups Brown Sugar
2 Cups of Honey
2 Cups Light Molasses
2 Cups of Sour Cream
2 Tablespoons of Shortening
1/2 Cup of Citron
10 Cups of Flour
2 Tablespoons of Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon of Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon of Cloves
1/2 Cup Diced Orange Peels
1/2 Cup Lemon Peels
1 Cup of Slivered Almonds

On a low setting mix and warm brown sugar, honey, molasses, and shortening together. Do not let the mixture come to a boil. After mixture is mixed well, set it aside, and let cool.
Next add the sour cream,baking soda, and mix well. Once mixed allow mixture to set for 30 minutes.
Now add the rest of the ingredients to the mix. (Citron, Flour, Cinnamon, Cloves, Orange & Lemon peels, and Slivered Almonds) Once all the ingredients are mixed, place the mixture in a cool place, and allow it to set overnight, or for 8 hours. The refrigerator is fine, if your home is warm.
Note: The dough is very sticky, do not add extra flour. Only use enough flour to cover your work space.
Finally roll the dough out 1/4 inch thick. Using a small round cookie cutter, or small glass (shot glass works great) cut small circular shapes out of the dough. Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 15 minutes on a greased cookie sheet.
Once cookies are done cooling you can dust them with powered sugar for a more decorative look

 

 

Vanilla Kippers Christmas Cookies

 

170g (12 tablespoons) butter

50g (¼ cup) powdered sugar

70g (½ cup) almonds or walnuts, ground

270g (2 cups) flour, sifted

 

For the final dusting:

100g (½ cup) powdered sugar

3 tablespoons vanilla sugar

 

Knead the butter, sugar nuts and flour into a roll and refrigerate for one hour.Then make small rolls (around 1 cm / ½ inch thick) out of the dough and form them into crescents. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes. Don't let them brown -- just go for golden at the most. Mix the remaining powdered sugar and the vanilla sugar together. While the kippers are still warm, roll them in the sugar mixture. Be gentle, they break easily

 

 

Cinnamon Stars Christmas cookies

 

500g (3⅓ cups) almonds with the skin, ground

1½ tablespoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons Kirsch (optional)

3 egg whites, beaten until stiff

400g (2 cups) powdered sugar

Extra sugar for rolling out dough

 

Mix together the almonds, cinnamon and Kirsch. Mix together the egg whites and the sugar. Add ⅓ of the egg white/sugar mixture to the first mixture. If the whole mixture is too dry to stick together add a bit more of the egg white and sugar.

Let rest briefly. Cover a clean dry surface with more sugar and roll out the dough. Cut out stars with a pastry cutter. Plop a little egg white on each star, spread it around with a wooden spoon or a brush. Let the cookies dry out overnight.

 Then bake them for 5-6 minutes at 175ºC / 350°F.

 

 

 

Springerle Christmas cookies


Ingredients:
 

  • 11 ounces of ground almonds

     

  • 3 egg whites

     

  • 1-cup of confectioners' sugar

     

  • 1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest

     

  • 3/4teaspoon of cinnamon

Directions:

 
  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour cookie sheets.

     
  • In a large bowl, whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the sugar and keep whipping until the egg whites can hold a stiff peak, this will take about 5 minutes. Set aside about 1/2 cup of the egg whites. Add the lemon zest and cinnamon to the rest of the meringue, and fold in the almonds until everything is evenly blended.

     
  • Drop mounds by spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Top each cookie with a smaller dollop of the reserved meringue.

     
  • Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Remove cookies from the baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

 

 

 

Pfeffernusse Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:

 

Oven: 300°


½ lb. butter
1 C. sugar
2 ¾ C. flour
1 C. walnuts or almonds (ground in nut grinder or food processor)
½ C. candied orange peel or mixed candied fruit
1 lemon rind, grated, plus the juice
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. cloves
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper (optional)
1 tsp. Cardamom

 


Directions:

 

Mix all ingredients together. Either roll into 3/4-inch balls or drop by scant teaspoon onto a cookie sheet. Bake in 300° oven for about 15 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar while there warm. Store in tight covered cookie tins, or in a tight covered container in the Freezer.