Springerle
Springerle is a type of 14th Century South German biscuit or cookie. It is made with an embossed design by pressing a Sprinergle mold onto rolled out dough. The cookies must dry uncovered for 24 hours which preserves the details of the pattern prior to baking.
Springerle translates to “little jumper” or “little knight” which may be a reference to a jumping horse in one of the molds or the “springing up” as the dough rises.
The recipe I use is from House on a Hill where I got my Springerle molds from. It says my name below on the recipe, but it is part of the theme and can’t be changed. The recipe is from House on a Hill and I want to give them credit.
Below are just a few of the Springerle molds that I have. The bottom row are some of the Christmas molds and the top row can be use for Spring, Easter, Weddings, etc.
Equipment and Special Ingredients
- Baker’s Ammonia (Hartshorn)
- Anise Oil, Lemon and/or Orange Oil (LorAnn Oils)
- Stand Mixer
- Springerle Molds and Shape Cutters
- House On A Hill Cookie Molds (see Where to Buy)
- Enough baking sheets or table space to allow the cookies to dry uncovered for 24 hours. Keep pets and children away from the pressed and cut out cookies.
- Airtight Cookie Tins
The recipe is rather long, so I won’t repeat it here. Please see below. I would suggest reading the recipe a couple of times prior to making them. This process take several days, so make sure you have enough time and space set aside to make this recipe.
Springerle cookies freshly pressed and cut out.
Springerle cookies drying below. We had cookies on baking sheets on my kitchen table and our cocktail table. Make sure you have enough room. They really do need to sit uncovered, away from children and pets, for 24 hours to make sure the design sets properly.
NOTE: Springerle cookies tend to be white on top. Some of the color is from the lighting in my house. However, we did let them bake a couple of minutes longer than the recipe called for. They still tasted very good.
Please give this Springerle Cookie recipe a try. If you made it, post your wonderful images on Instagram and tag me. Don’t forget to go back to the The Finished Dish’s Home Page, scroll down on the right side and subscribe. You will be emailed each time I post a new recipe.
Springerle
A South German Cookie with a crispy texture and a slightly chewy center.
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon baker’s ammonia (Hartshorn) or baking powder
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 6 cups confectioners sugar (1 1/2 #)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened but not melted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of anise oil (or 3-4 teaspoons of lemon or orange oil)
- 2 lb. box sifted cake flour
- Grated orange or lemon zest (optional)
- Flour for dusting
Directions
- Step 1 In a cup or small bowl, dissolve baker’s ammonia (Hartshorn) in milk. Set aside about 20 minutes.
- Step 2 In a stand mixer, beat eggs on medium-high speed until thick and lemon-colored, 10 to 20 minutes.
- Step 3 Slowly beat in confectioners sugar, then softened butter. Add the milk mixture, salt, oil of anise (or other flavoring), and grated zest, if desired. Beat until incorporated.
- Step 4 Gradually beat in as much flour as you can with mixer, then stir in the remainder of the 2 pounds of flour to make a stiff dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and, if needed, knead in more flour to make a good print without sticking.
- Step 5 Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and then a Ziploc freezer bag, so the dough does not dry out. Refrigerate the dough for 8 hours before making the cookies. (NOTE: The liquid ingredients will absorb into the flour making it less sticky. At this point, the dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
- Step 6 On a floured surface, roll out dough approximately 1/2 inch thick. Roll thinner or thicker, based on depth of carving in cookie press you are using. Shallow designs should be thinner while deeper design carvings will need to be thicker.
- Step 7 Flour each mold before pressing. Press mold firmly and straight down into dough, then lift and cut out. Place formed cookie on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Step 8 Let cookies dry, uncovered, for 24 hours to set design. (Larger cookies and warm, humid weather may require longer drying times.) This gives the dough time to form a crust which will preserve the design, so be sure not to skip this step.
- Step 9 Preheat oven to 300°F. Transfer cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets and bake until barely golden on bottoms, 10 to 15 minutes, or more, depending on size.
- Step 10 Let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight cookie tins, and will improve with age.
Notes: I use baker’s ammonia (hartshorn), which creates a light and fluffy texture.
