Traditional Springerle

We have made these very traditional German cookies every year since I was a child. My mother remembers her grandmother making them with this recipe that has been in our family for generations. The molds can be hard to find, but check specialty cookware stores and antique shops.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Calories: 75 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ cup confectioners' sugar
• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons crushed anise seeds

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).

Step 2

Lightly grease 4 cookie sheets. Sprinkle with anise seeds. Set aside until needed.

Step 3

Mix the flour and baking powder together in a bowl until well blended. Place the eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat until light and frothy, 5 to 8 minutes. Slowly stir in the flour mixture until a thick dough forms.

Step 4

Working with handfuls of dough, roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Lightly sift confectioners' sugar over the dough. Place springerle molds onto the dough; press down hard and evenly until the mold's design registers in the dough. Remove the mold. Use a small knife to cut around each cookie, and place on prepared cookie sheets. Repeat, until all dough has been used. Cover the cookies with a lightweight cotton cloth, and allow to dry 8 hours, or overnight.

Step 5

Bake cookies in preheated oven until tops are pale brown and set, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container.