German Cookie aka Springerle

[charby]

Where I grew up these cookies were very popular at Christmas time with the German families. Did anyone else have them? They are traditionally anise flavored. I have never seen them anywhere other than my hometown.



I just aquired the special rolling pin to make them and I have baking ammonia being shipped to me. Going to attempt to make some and bring back part of my childhood.

[Perd Hapley]

Anise? Yes, please!

[charby]

Anise? Yes, please!

No deliveries, must come to Ames to get it.

[vaskidmark]

Grew up with them.

Recently found a local source of sugar-free for the diabeetus suffer.  Not bad at all, even if the shortening will destroy my arteries.

stay safe.

[Ben]

Spitzbuben and lebkuchen have always been the main Christmas treat among my German family. Don't remember ever having Springerle. I'll have to ask the folks - they might be a Northern German thing and thus would have been banned from our household. 

[Perd Hapley]

No deliveries, must come to Ames to get it.

You all heard the man! Christmas at Charb's!

[kgbsquirrel]

Baking ammonia? WTF?



Also no, Irish heritage household, ours were short-bread cookies.

[MillCreek]

Baking ammonia? WTF?

Ammonium bicarbonate is popular in Northern Europe and Scandinavia as a leavening agent for baking.  It produces especially light and crisp items compared to baking soda or baking powder.  You want to use it only for thin items so that the ammonia gas can escape; a friend of mine used it in a cake once, and it had a perceptible ammonia flavor and smell.  You can buy it online at King Arthur Flour.

[charby]

Spitzbuben and lebkuchen have always been the main Christmas treat among my German family. Don't remember ever having Springerle. I'll have to ask the folks - they might be a Northern German thing and thus would have been banned from our household. 

Lots of Northern Germans/Prussians settled my hometown. Dad's Mom's entire family was Prussian, these cookies were a big deal.

Mom's side was from Swabia, so spritz cookies were the big deal at holiday time.

[charby]

You all heard the man! Christmas at Charb's!

Only if you bring German beer.

[Ben]

Mom's side was from Swabia, so spritz cookies were the big deal at holiday time.

Yeah, my mom would make a ton of them, too. That's where the folks are from.

[Perd Hapley]

Only if you bring German beer.

Nein. There are cookies. Ergo, I am bringing milk.

[vaskidmark]

Nein. There are cookies. Ergo, I am bringing milk.

The man has never partaken of the college students' Breakfast of Champions.

stay safe.

[K Frame]

Central Pennsylvania is frigging overrun with those and Pfeffernuse during the holidays. Not surprising given the number of people with German blood, as well as the active Amish population.

[charby]

Central Pennsylvania is frigging overrun with those and Pfeffernuse during the holidays. Not surprising given the number of people with German blood, as well as the active Amish population.

I love those too!

[Tuco]

My paternal Grandmother made them for the last time in maybe 1998.  She died in 2004.
A cousin has the board that must be at least 100 years old.

I never liked them much as a child, but began to appreciate the flavor and powdery texture as an adult.
They go well with a nice mild black tea.

[Harold Tuttle]

Aldi's has a big selection of German cookies this year

http://www.aldi.us/us/html/product_range/19049_ENU_HTML.htm

[K Frame]

I love Aldie's around the holidays. They carry Baker's chocolate chips, which are head and shoulders better than Nestle's. And their prices just kick ass.

[Chuck Dye]

Granny was Czech, the family notion of Christmas cookies is rohlicky.  My last batch used cardamom as the spice, a nice variation.  (Cardamom is best when the seeds are black and oily looking.  For baking, it's worth culling the dry tan seeds.)

[charby]

Make a bunch of Spritzgebäck last night in the shape of happy trees.

[charby]

I got about 8 dozen cookies hardening on the counter. House is going to smell awesome tomorrow.

[charby]

Central Pennsylvania is frigging overrun with those and Pfeffernuse during the holidays. Not surprising given the number of people with German blood, as well as the active Amish population.

I broke down and making some tonight, almost feel dirty making a treat from the low German speaking areas. 

[Harold Tuttle]

Omg, we just got back from the mifflinburg pa christkindlmart
http://www.mifflinburgchristkindlmarket.com/

There was a booth full of German cookies including springlerle

I grabbed a business card

www.gaffronsbakery.com


SPRINGERLE
Traditional anise and ginger (with white chocolate back) molded cookies – these excellent dipping cookies keep almost forever and get better as they age. These delicious cookies also can be hung as decorations.

We produce Springerle in various sizes from our extensive collection of heirloom and replica Springerle molds. This season we have added many additional prints to choose from – contact us for descriptions.

Traditional Anise Squares (1.5 × 2" squares)
Baker's dozen $8.95
Pkg of 6 / $5.00

Small Prints (4" round or 3 × 4" rectangles)
Anise / Ginger with white chocolate back  $2.00/$3.00

Medium Prints (3 × 5" rectangles)
Anise / Ginger with white chocolate back  $3.00/$4.00

Large Prints (6" round or 6 × 3–4" rectangles)
Anise / Ginger with white chocolate back  $Call

[erik the bold]

pfeffernusse cookies........YUM!!   

The spinglerle's would always get hard as a rock.
My dad would dunk them in coffee.

[charby]

pfeffernusse cookies........YUM!!   

The spinglerle's would always get hard as a rock.
My dad would dunk them in coffee.

If you put the cookies in a air tight contianer and stick in an apple wedge or two over night, they will soften up.