Springerle...A Holiday Tradition at our Maison!

Every Christmas I love to embrace tradition as we celebrate the holidays as well as introducing new traditions as the years move along to keep things fresh and interesting.

One of the traditions that I have always embraced is the day long event of making Springerle. The picture below includes gingerbread and colorful varieties and some other sophisticated elements...obviously created by master bakers! We, however make the "peasant" or as I like to say, "rustic" version at our house.

Springerle are a Bavarian holiday cookie that has been made since the Middle Ages, when during mid-
Winter festivals the poor offered animal shaped biscuits to the Gods in place of actual livestock. Eventually the designs of the biscuits encompassed other aspects of every day life including biblical figures, fairy tales, holiday scenes, wedding motifs, fruits and hearts.

 (Merci': The SpringerleBaker)

(Merci': The SpringerleHouse)

These depictions in the cookies are made through wooden molds that can be found in specialty cooking shops or antique stores. In the past, wooden molds were often whittled at home from lumber. The wooden molds below are a sampling of what has been in my family for years....and what we use every holiday.

I found it so interesting that a recent article in the Wall Street Journal depicted Springerle as the Jewel of all holiday cookies. My husband has often wondered what all the fuss is about...all that work for a cookie that doesn't even include chocolate? He had never heard of Springerle until he met me. I guess his Irish forebearers didn't partake in the annual ritual whereas the Springerle molds have been passed through my family for generations.

Let's just say that I feel vindicated with this latest testimonial from the Wall Street Journal which substantiated what my family has known for years...Springerle are a wonderful holiday treat. Dense, deeply perfumed with anise. Very distinctive in flavor.

I thought I would detail the recipe and process for anyone who is interested in making a cookie that is wonderful for dunking in hot chocolate, tea or coffee or a glass of milk.

What I love most about Springerle is that my children are very interested in carrying on the tradition and embrace the process and the history attached to them as well. This is a Christmas tradition that we look forward to each year.

Recipe: 
3 pounds of powdered sugar
1 dozen eggs
3 pounds of flour
1/2 cup anise seed (cleaned thoroughly if it has little sticks in it) Thankfully nowadays anise is usually free of the little sticks that were present during my childhood- which made prep so tedious.
1 tablespoon of baking powder
             Oven Temp: 400 degrees


Tools:  
One large wood cutting board or smooth surface for rolling dough.
One sharp knife for cutting designs from the rolled out dough
Springerle molds or small sugar cookie cutters in classic shapes (we use both for fun)
2 cookie sheets(ungreased)
1 metal spatula for removing cookies from the hot cookie sheet


The easiest thing to do when starting is have five big bowls available. Two will be used to sift the flour back and forth. The third is to hold the powdered sugar and the fourth to hold the one dozen eggs. The fifth one is the one you will put all the ingredients finally in  step by step and mix with your hands.

My son dutifully did the sifting this year. This three time sift process is key to this recipe.

After the sifting is done you grab one egg with your hand (yes- this is the messy part) and sift some flour in that fifth bowl while adding powdered sugar and anise at the same time...p.s. it is beneficial to have helpers for this part especially! You keep adding one egg, some anise, powdered sugar and flour in equal amounts slowly as you knead the dough and remove any lumps as the batter thickens.

You must hand mix these ingredients slowly to make sure there are no lumps. I know you are asking why I don't use a mixer or a spoon? This is one of those things that has been passed through the generations and I am afraid to try...I remember my Grandmother telling me that using a mixer or spoon would ruin the cookies. I think it is because as you mix the dough gets very solid and it would be hard to do that with a spoon or mixer...remember there is no butter or oil in this recipe.

Pretty soon the batter begins to look like this...

                                          and then this....

 Then you roll it into a smooth ball and place on a flour dusted cutting board.

Roll out into a somewhat thin sheet with a rolling pin...

My daughter is a pro at one of the most difficult techniques- rolling the designs on the dough (shown below) vs. pounding them in (as shown above). She did that while my son used the pounding method (of course what boy wouldn't?) 

Then I carefully cut the designs to place on the ungreased cookie sheet.

Place them in the oven (400 degrees) for about 10 minutes. You will have to test your oven- mine was turning them out today in 8 minutes.

You try to avoid the browning at the edges as seen in the batch above.

     Here are the Springerle that I have known and loved for my entire life...the best way to eat them is with  
     a warm cup of hot chocolate or cappuccino. They harden a bit as they come out of the oven but stay
     chewy on the inside...simply delicious!

If you have a holiday cookie that has been in your family for years I would love for you to share it! If you attempt this recipe I would also love to know what you think...

Bon Appetite!