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German Christmas recipesSpritzgebäck

These German Christmas cookies are made by pressing dough through a piping back to create interesting forms and decorative details. They are delicate, crispy, and have a buttery taste and can be garnished with fruit, dipped in chocolate, or otherwise decorated.

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
5 egg yolks or 3 whole eggs
1/4 Tbsp. vanilla extract or grated rind from 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 cups ground almonds or hazelnuts
3 cups flour

Preparation

Cream butter and gradually add sugar. Beat in eggs or yolks one at a time. Add the vanilla or lemon rind. Beat well, while gradually adding the nuts and flour. Knead the dough briefly.

To form the cookies, use a piping bag or cookie press with a tube fitting of the desired shape. Press the dough through the bag or press onto a baking sheet 1 inch apart in the form of dics, rings, sticks, or S-shapes.

Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Variation: Add 3 oz. grated dark chocolate or 2-3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder to the dough to produce a chocolate cookie.

Based on a recipe from German Traditional Cooking by Tony Schmaeling (out of print).

Cookies and cooking utensils

Cookies, cookie presses and piping bag tips

Raspberry Spritz cookies Six 6-oz. packages. Qualifies for free shipping. More info - Buy		KitchenAid Cookie Press, Blue or red.16 discs, transparent barrel. More info - Buy
VillaWare V5375 Power Cookie Press, 5-speed, cordless. 20 cookie discs. More info - Buy	Atlas Deluxe Cookie Press 20 aluminum discs for large and small cookies. More info - Buy	Wilton 28-piece deluxe piping bag tip set. Metal tips in plastic case. Bags separate. More info - Buy