How To Make Springerle Cookies
Springerle cookies are a Christmas cookie from the Alsace-Lorraine area of France, and into Germany and Switzerland. I’d seen pictures of them before but never made them, and after being tempted into purchasing one of the cookie molds at a Christmas market at Freiburg, it was time.
Now the complicated part for these cookies doesn’t come into the actual making of the dough. That part is rather easy! With five ingredients, and an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, it comes together in a cinch. No, the difficult part is actually respecting the resting times and pressing the mold into the dough. Here are some tips for how to make springerle cookies to make them foolproof for you!
TIPS FOR MAKING SPRINGERLE COOKIES:
WHERE CAN I BUY SPRINGERLE COOKIE MOLDS?
You find them at Christmas Markets in Europe or on my website boutique. There are a couple of big brands that sell them as well like King Arthur too. But why not buy from me! 😀
WHY DOES THE SPRINGERLE DOUGH REST FOR SO LONG?
There are two important points when making these cookies when the dough has to rest. The first is after making the dough. I kept the dough in the mixing bowl, pressed plastic wrap on top, and then transferred it to the refrigerator to chill and set up.
The recipe said “for a couple hours or overnight” and I’m here to tell you that a couple hours is very different than overnight in terms of working with the dough. After two hours, it was still too soft, making it sticky and more difficult to work with. It was much easier after resting overnight. The second waiting point was after the cookie mold was pressed into the dough. The 12-24 hour rest on a countertop dries the outside of the cookie ensuring the delicate design will stay after they bake.
The hardest part about making these cookies is being patient enough to walk through all the steps! The total resting time can be more than 24 hours – but it’s absolutely worth it!
I HATE ANISE SEED! CAN I LEAVE IT OUT?
I hear you. It’s not my favorite either and this is the traditional flavoring! But isn’t that the huge bonus of making them yourself? You can flavor them however you like! There are two points you can add seasonings. The first is to the dough- add any extracts or spices that you like. Extract examples include: almond, lemon, orange, lavender, or vanilla. Spice examples include: nutmeg, gingerbread seasoning, or cardamom.
Before you bake them, you can also sprinkle seasonings on the pan. When I made these, I dusted the pan with a fun Alsatian Winter Sugar that I have which is a blend of raw sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, anise, and vanilla. In another batch, I used vanilla sugar. You can sprinkle spices as well, like ground cinnamon.
Let your imagination run wild! The options are endless!
And if you want a simpler recipe, check out my Gingerbread Molded Cookie recipe that’s great with these molds.
HOW DO I GET THE PERFECT DESIGN ON TOP?
The dough should be thick in order to hold the design. Keep an eye on how much liquid you add through flavorings. If you add a lot of Kirsch or extracts (1 tablespoon), you may need to add more flour to achieve this – sometimes up to 1/4-1/2 cup.
Make sure you follow the resting times allowing the dough to chill overnight and the pressed cookies to rest overnight at room temperature.
Liberally dust the surface, your rolling pin, the top of the dough, and the mold with cornstarch. Press in the mold with even firm pressure. It’ll take 1-2 tries, then you’ll get it!
HOW DO I KNOW WHEN SPRINGERLE COOKIES ARE DONE?
This is a HUGE tip! Bake the cookies in the bottom third of your oven! They’ll rise up on a foot but they won’t brown on top because of the low temperature. The baking time will depend based on the size of the cookie. To test to see if they are done, gently move the cookie back and forth. If it barely moves or is firm, it’s done! Let cool completely on the pans.
DO SPRINGERLE COOKIES TASTE GOOD?
Yes! The top is a little crunchy but the inside is chewy and delicious like a thick sugar cookie crossed with a macaron.
WHAT IS THE SPRINGERLE COOKIE TEXTURE LIKE?
The perfect Springerle should have a delicate, crunchy outside and a chewy center. If you’re looking for a soft, cake-like cookie, Springerle are not it. But they are so, so delicious and perfect for dunking in your favorite coffee, tea or cocoa.
WHY CORNSTARCH? WHY NOT FLOUR?
Cornstarch doesn’t absorb as much moisture as flour so it will stay on the surface of the dough more so than flour. And it’s easier to brush off!
I’VE PRESSED THE MOLD IN, NOW WHAT? TIPS FOR CUTTING OUT THE COOKIES.
The easiest is to use a cookie cutter that is the right size to trim the access dough from around the imprint. Many molds come with a cookie cutter that first. Otherwise, use a standard set. I love this set of round cutters (affiliate link). A long chef’s knife works great too or a pizza cutter.
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HOW DO I MAKE THEM INTO CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENTS?
Just after cutting out the cookie, take the bottom of a pen (clean!), chopstick or a kebab skewer and press it into the dough to create a hole. After they’re baked and cool, thread a beautiful ribbon through the hole and there you go! See more about this at this blog post.
HOW LONG DO SPRINGERLE COOKIES KEEP?
Traditionally, these cookies were baked in advance to let the anise flavor develop over time. Once you’ve baked your Springerle cookies, store them in tins or other containers with tightly fitted lids. It’s recommended to add a piece of whole wheat bread or an apple slice so they don’t dry out too much in the tin. I also like to lay the cookies between parchment paper to prevent them from sticking and ensure their beautiful design stays intact. While some traditional recipes purposefully “age” them for up to a couple of weeks, I really like them until 3-5 days.
CAN SPRINGERLE COOKIES BE FROZEN?
Yes, you can freeze springerle cookies after baking to store them for longer periods of time. This would keep the cookie texture more like what it is within the first couple of days after baking them. If you love the flavor of these cookies and want to be able to enjoy them from time to time without having to bake them, then freezing a few is definitely worth it!!
And here’s the recipe! With lots of details du coup! I hope you enjoy making these as families have for years and years, and wish you a Merry Christmas!
SAVE THE TIPS AND THE RECIPE FOR LATER BY PINNING IT TO PINTEREST!
Springerle Cookie Recipe
A beautiful cookie from the Alsace-Lorraine area in France, Germany, and Switzerland! With their intricate design, they make for a perfect gift around the holidays or to hang on a Christmas tree.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs, room temp
- 500 g (4 cups) powdered sugar (icing/confectioners)
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
- Flavoring Ideas: 2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp almond extract or anise seed or 1 tsp pumpkin spice seasoning, Kirsch, or other! Get creative!
- 420-440 g (3 1/2 cups) cake flour (non-rising, T45)
Instructions
- Beat the eggs with the whisk attachment until foaming in an electric mixer. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and whip on medium speed for 10-15 minutes until the mixture is thick and resembles a buttercream. In the last 5 minutes, add the pinch of baking powder, and the flavoring of choice.
- Slowly add in the flour, whipping on low-medium speed. Then wrap well with plastic wrap touching the surface and chill for several hours or overnight.
- Roll out small pieces at a time on a cornstarch-dusted surface to about 1/4 inch (6mm) thick (go with the thickness of the mold). Dust the top with cornstarch and press the mold into the dough. Cut around the design, and lay on a cornstarch dusted surface to rest at room temperature for 12-24 hours, avoiding a drafty or humid area.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 145C/290F. Place each cookie on a damp paper towel for about 30 seconds to moisten the bottom of the cookie and then transfer to a parchment lined tray (this can be sprinkled with a seasoning of choice).
- Bake for 18-20 minutes for larger cookies (4-5") and 15-17 minutes for medium/small cookies. The cookie will rise on a little foot, and not move when gently wiggled on the top when done. (If baking two trays at a time, be sure to flip and rotate the trays halfway through).
- Keep in an airtight container at room temperature, or dry and use as ornaments.
Notes
About the flour: It is strongly recommended to use a fine flour (cake or pastry for best results). If in France, this would be a T45. If you have to use all-purpose, you will use considerably less at 2 ¾ cups (340 g). Go by the texture as indicated in the recipe. You may need to add more flour (between 1/4-1/2 cup) if you add a lot of flavoring (1 tablespoon or more of extracts, etc).
Bienvenue, I’m Molly!
I am a Pastry graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Paris offering pastry classes in Versailles and around France. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she moved to Paris in 2013 to follow her passion for baking & ended up staying!
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Perfect
My mother used to make these every Christmas but never invited me to watch.
I made a half batch using anise seed and extract. I followed the recipe times for beating eggs, chilling, and resting. But they didn’t rise at all and did not make a “foot”. They still taste okay but not at all chewy.
Any suggestions?
It sounds like they may not have dried long enough before baking, or the batter might have been rolled/spread a bit too thin. Both can affect how well they rise and whether that signature ‘foot’ forms. Even small differences in thickness or drying time can change the texture quite a bit. Glad they still tasted good though!
I have not tried this recipe yet, but was wondering about the 12-24 hour drying time. Wouldn’t the eggs in the recipe go bad if left out at room temperature? Thanks! Let me know.
This is how they dry and the design is preserver on top and how the recipe has been made for hundreds of years. That being said, I totally get that!! The best is to use fresh eggs and if you can, pasteurized eggs. And obviously, if there is ever a weird smell/taste after baking, don’t eat them! I’ve had this happen once in years of making them this way. Hope that helps!
I followed your recipe to a T and these came out great! I started the process at 11am on Christmas Eve and stamped the cookies 11pm Christmas Eve. Woke up this afternoon on Christmas to bake and they were exactly as expected! They rose on a foot perfectly and came out nice and chewy. I used a vanilla bean pod and almond extract and a few beautiful molds from Etsy. Can’t wait to make these again next year
How long can dough be kept in fridge!?
2-3 days max because it has raw egg. It can be frozen too.
My grandmother on my dad’s side used to make Springerle and send it to us for Xmas.I don’t know if Swiss-Germans make them differently than French, but I never liked them.–(She used the rolling pin with molds.)–I think. They were NOT sweet, or tasty, they were like a dry biscuit you dip into wine-or tea.–Probably wine. I never got to like them. I think they were just a different style from these, his relatives lived in Pennsylvania (“Pennsylvania-Dutch.” ) Maybe the French DO MAKE THEM VERY DIFFERENTLY. Any opinions about this? Thank you.
Ooo yes they are doing the super traditional way where you “age” the cookies for several weeks. Obviously, they dry out! The French don’t make them any differently, I just choose to eat them when they are fresh and chewy 🙂