Springerle – A Traditional German Christmas Cookie

Dissolve the baker’s ammonia in the milk and let stand for at least 30 minutes before using.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs until thick and quadrupled in volume, about 10 to 20 minutes. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar a couple tablespoons at a time until all 6 cups are incorporated, then add in the softened butter and continue mixing until there are no visible chunks of butter in the batter.

Add in the baker’s ammonia and milk mixture, salt, anise and orange zest. Gradually beat in the flour. You will have to change to the bread hook eventually; alternatively, you could also turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead the remaining flour in, but I like to let the machine do the work. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Roll out one piece to about 1/2-inch thickness, keeping the other covered with a damp cloth as it will dry out really fast. Dust your cookie moulds with flour before printing out the cookies. Re-roll any scraps.

Arrange the unbaked cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow to dry out for 12 to 24 hours. This will ensure that your prints are preserved during the baking process.

Depending on your oven, bake at 275-325 Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes or until cookies have risen.

Store in an airtight container for at least 3 weeks before eating them. They will keep for months and continue to get better with age.