German Wine Cookies Recipes

GLUEHWEIN (GERMAN MULLED WINE)

Steps:

• Pour the wine into a large pot and set over medium heat. Let it warm up until steam rises from the surface, but do not allow it to boil. Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, lemon juice and sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Float the orange slices on the surface. Warm over medium heat for another 5 minutes, being careful not to let it come to a boil. Remove from the heat and let stand for 1 hour.
• Pour through a colander to remove to oranges and spices. Serve hot, or refrigerate and reheat gently just before serving in mugs.

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.

GLüHWEIN (GERMAN MULLED WINE)

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients (except the orange garnishes) into a pot or large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a light simmer. Cover and reduce the heat to keep it just barely at a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour.
• After simmering, turn off the heat and let the wine continue to steep for 30 minutes. (At this point you can take a small spoonful and taste your Glühwein. If it needs more sugar for your tastes, go ahead a mix some in!)
• Remove the cloves and cinnamon stick.
• Serve the mulled wine warm with an orange slice garnish, if desired.

GERMAN WINE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together. Beat in eggs, vanilla and wine. Stir in flour, one cup at a time. Dough will be stiff. Roll out dough, on well-floured pastry sheet, to a 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutter. Bake on greased cookie sheet for 10 minutes.
• Make icing by combining above ingredients. (Should be an almost runny consistency). Frost cookies. These cookies will keep for up to one year in an airtight container.

GLüHWEIN - GERMAN MULLED WINE

Steps:

• Add the red wine, sugar, and sliced orange into a large pot and place it on the stovetop. If using, also add lemon slices, water, juice, and/or brandy to the pot.
• Place whole cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, allspice, and star anise into a piece of cheesecloth and tie it shut with kitchen string. You can also add the whole spices to the pot loose and filter out before serving or storing.
• Heat wine and spices slowly on the stove on a low setting or simmer, stirring occasionally. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Boiling can cause the alcohol to evaporate and the flavor to become too strong or worse, bitter. However, the longer you heat the wine, the more the fruit and spices will steep into the wine. Typically, I like to simmer for at least 20-30 minutes before serving.
• Remove the bundle of spices, or strain to remove loose spices before serving.
• Serve in mugs or heatproof glasses. If you'd like, add a cinnamon stick, star anise, orange slice, or lemon slice for garnish.