German Cut Out Cookies Recipes

EASY GERMAN CUT-OUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter, white sugar, vanilla sugar, and egg in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• Mix flour and baking powder together. Beat into the butter mixture on low speed until dough becomes crumbly. Work dough crumbles with your hands into a smooth dough and place into a sealable container. Refrigerate until chilled, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface and cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Pick up all the left over dough, press together into a ball, and repeat the rolling and cutting out process until all the dough is used up.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before carefully removing to a wire rack with a knife or thin spatula to cool completely.
• Mix confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until glaze has a smooth and spreadable consistency. Add more lemon juice if you like a thinner glaze. Add food coloring if you like. Brush frosting on cooled cookies and add chocolate sprinkles or sugar sprinkles if desired.

SPEKULATIUS (GERMAN SPICE COOKIES) RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large bowl, cream granulated sugar and vanilla sugar with butter until well combined.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Sift or whisk together flour with baker's ammonia or baking powder , salt, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom.
• Stir into creamed mixture until it forms a stiff dough.
• Shape dough into a ball, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 or more hours (overnight is best).
• Oil and flour a spekulatius mold. Tap out all excess flour.
• Roll a golf ball-size piece of dough between your lightly floured hands into an egg shape. Press the dough into the mold, filling all crevices.
• Use a sharp knife or piece of kitchen twine to cut off excess dough, so the dough is flush with mold. Tap the mold on the counter to release the cookie, or use a sharp knife to start the release of cookie.
• Carefully place the cookie on a cookie sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough.
• If this process becomes too onerous, or you do not own any cookie molds, roll the dough 1/8 inch thick (2 to 3 ml) and cut out cookies using your favorite cookie cutters.
• Bake in an oven heated to 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cookies brown slightly around the edges. These cookies can be decorated like conventional sugar cookies, but the old-fashioned mold imprints should not be overshadowed, nor should the delicate flavor of the dough be masked.
• Serve and enjoy!

GERMAN CUT-OUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate with your favorite frostings or sprinkles if you like.

PERFECT CUT-OUT COOKIE DOUGH

Steps:

• Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Blend egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture.
• Stir flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl; mix into the butter mixture until just incorporated. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator and let the dough warm to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Roll dough out onto a flat surface to about 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut dough into shapes with cookie cutters; arrange onto baking sheets.
• Bake cookies until firm in the center, but not yet browning, 8 to 12 minutes. Let cool briefly on baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.