Mandelspritzgebäck (German Christmas Almond Cookies)

Submitted by Thorsten

"I can't remember a single holiday season without this typical German cookie recipe. My Mom and my mother-in-law bake these cookies. As a child we helped bake them, and the fun part for us kids was always to "style" the cookies. I prefer them with any icing or decoration."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 50 cookies
• Serves: 50

ingredients

• 1 1⁄3 cups unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 1⁄4 cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1⁄3 cups ground almonds (blanched)
• 3 drops bitter almond oil (see note)
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder

directions

1. Preheat oven (375°F, 190°C).
2. Grease baking trays.
3. Mix butter with sugar until creamy. Add egg and egg yolk and mix until foamy.
4. Add almonds and a few drops oil of bitter almonds.
5. Add flour (mixed with baking powder) little by little and mix. The dough should be elastic, but will not be smooth.
6. Fill in the dough into a cookie press with big star nozzle or better into a meat grinder with a big star nozzle.
7. Make/press dough strings of about 2 to 3-inches. Form dough strings into rings, "S", horseshoes or any other shapes you like and place on baking tray.
8. Bake for about 12 minutes. Cookies should still be light.
9. NOTE: Oil of bitter almonds: if you can't find it, use almond extract.
10. NOTE on cookie press: the dough is elastic but not smooth. So using a simple icing bag could be difficult. I use a meat grinder with a special cookie star nozzle. You can use a suited cookie press.
11. NOTE on custom yield: I really can't give the correct custom yield. But the amount will make several baking trays. Baking time is given for one tray.

Reviews

[Srt]

We lived in Germany for 4 years and loved Christmas every year. It's magical to experience Christmas in Germany and these delicious cookies are part of that. Thanks!

 

[Gracielagata]

if these are the same cookies that my german aunt makes, these are wonderful! i will be making some this christmas!

 

[Belloo]

These were my son's favourites this Christmas. I didn't have a cookie press so I just rolled them into little logs and decorated with melted chocolate.

 

[Allyson C.]

i just followed these instructions and found that the end result is far too dry to use a cookie press - what do i need to add to correct this