Spiced German Cookies Recipes

GERMAN SPICE COOKIES (PFEFFERNUSSE)

Steps:

• Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and spices. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, brown sugar, and molasses on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture; beat until just combined. Pinch off a heaping teaspoon of dough, roll into a ball, and place on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining dough, spacing balls 1 1/2 inches apart. (Dough can be frozen at this point, covered tightly with plastic wrap, up to 1 month.)
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are golden and firm to the touch with slight cracking, about 15 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Glaze: Fit a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, milk, and kirsch, if desired. Using a fork, dip each cookie in glaze to coat. Tap to remove excess glaze and place on wire rack to dry. Repeat with remaining cookies.
• To decorate: While the glaze is still wet, top cookies with a small pinch of peppercorns, if desired. Alternatively, let glaze dry completely before mixing together luster dust and kirsch with a small paintbrush. Lightly brush tops of cookies with luster dust mixture, if desired. Let dry before serving. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

GERMAN SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add the brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon and pepper. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the egg mixture. Stir in raisins and walnuts. , Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until surface cracks. Remove to wire racks to cool.

SPICED GERMAN COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and extracts. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, spices and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 3-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Decorate tops with almonds, pressing to adhere., Bake 9-11 minutes or until light brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

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 SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, beat eggs.
• Add the brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon and pepper.
• Combine flour, baking soda and salt, gradually add to the egg mix.
• Stir in raisin and nuts.
• Drop by tablespoonsful 2 inches apart onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until surface cracks. (My oven cooks/bakes really hot and so I can only bake at 350 for 10 minutes).
• Remove to wire racks to cool.