Old Fashioned German Cookies Recipes

GERMAN BUTTER COOKIES (BUTTERPLäTZCHEN)

Steps:

• Add the flour, butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and egg into a large bowl. Use your hands to knead the dough until the dough forms a ball (this takes around 5 minutes).
• Wrap the ball of dough in cling film and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• After the 30 minutes are up, remove the dough from the fridge. Also preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle flour onto a smooth surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is approximately 3/8 inch thin. Use your cookie cutters to cut out the cookies and place them on the parchment paper. Once you've used up the rolled out dough, gather the leftovers, form another ball, roll it out again, and cut more cookies. Repeat the process until you have used up all the dough.
• Bake your cookies in the middle rack of your oven for around 10-12 minutes until the cookies are lightly golden brown along the edges. Depending on your oven and how thick your cookies are, your baking time might be slightly shorter or longer.
• Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for around 5 minutes. Then remove the parchment paper with the cookies on it from the baking sheet and let the cookies cool fully.
• OPTIONAL: After the cookies have cooled sufficiently, you can prepare the topping by whisking powdered sugar and lemon juice or water together in a small bowl. This will be your "glue" for sprinkles and other decorations. Spread a small amount of the "glue" onto the cookie and then decorate as desired. You can get really creative here. If you decide to decorate your cookies with icing and/or sprinkles, let them sit until the glaze has hardened.

OLD GERMAN HONEY COOKIES

Steps:

• In a saucepan over low heat, melt together sugar, shortening and honey. Let cool.
• Mix together eggs, vanilla, baking soda and ginger. Gradually add to cooled honey mixture.
• Slowly add 4 cups of flour to mixture. Stir until well blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) until golden (about 12-15 minutes).

OLD FASHIONED BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift dry ingredients together. Place in food processor and process a few seconds to mix. Cut each stick of butter into 8 pieces and place in food processor. Process 20 to 30 seconds until butter is cut in evenly. Add egg yolks and vanilla and process until mixture forms a ball. Remove, divide into 4 equal balls, flatten each and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat over to 375 degrees. Cut aluminum foil to fit approximately 4 cookie sheets. Using a well floured pastry cloth and rolling pin cover, roll 1 section of dough, leaving the rest refrigerated until needed. Roll evenly approximately 1/8" thick (or actually 1/8" thin). Using small size cookies cutters, cut cookies (they should remain in the cutter, then tap out on to the foil lined cookie sheets). Place cookies 1/2 inch apart. Sprinkle with sugar crystals. (Easier to do one whole sheet red, next sheet green). Reroll scraps and roll out, trying to handle dough as little as possible. Don't reroll dough a third time, use another refrigerated section of dough. Bake approximately 8 minutes, one sheet at a time. Cookies should be slightly golden, remove quickly as once they start to brown, they could burn fast. Immediately slide foil off cookie sheet and leave cookies on foil to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Store in a wax paper lined, cookie tin. Cookies reach their taste potential after a day and will stay fresh in a cookie tin approximatelly 3 weeks. Actual yield is based on the size cookie cutter used. I use a very small size, approximately 1 1/2 " across.

OLD-FASHIONED MOLASSES COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine butter, brown sugar, shortening, molasses and egg in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt; beat at low speed until well mixed.
• Divide dough in half; wrap each half in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate 1-2 hours or until firm.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Working with one-half of dough at a time, shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar. Place, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten balls to 2 1/2-inch diameter with bottom of glass. Bake 8-11 minutes or until set.

OLD FASHIONED GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine first four ingredients in large bowl.
• Add eggs.
• Mix dry ingredients together and add to wet.
• Mix well.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Roll dough out on Pam (or other non-stick cooking spray) covered surface (I roll mine out thick,I like a thicker cookie) Cut with desired shapes.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
• These cookies freeze well and are softer and more flavorful after freezing.

OLD-FASHIONED LEMON SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and set aside.
• Put sugars and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer (paddle attachment if available) and mix at medium speed for about 30 seconds (until well blended).
• Add butter, mix at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Mix in eggs, one at a time, at medium speed, then add lemon juice and continue mixing at medium speed for about 30 seconds.
• Reduce speed and gradually add flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
• Chill mixture for at least 15 minutes.
• Drop cookie dough onto non-stick cookie sheets spaced 2 inches apart.
• Place remaining cookie mixture in refrigerator and cookie sheet(s) in freeze for 15 minutes.
• Using the flat bottom of a drinking glass, press the cookies till about 1/2 inch thick.
• If desired, sprinkle cookies with sanding sugar and brush lightly with wet pastry brush. Sprinkle with more sanding sugar to taste.
• Return to freezer for approximately 5 minutes.
• Bake at 350° for 15 minutes.
• Let cool on sheets for 3 minutes and transfer cookies to cookie rack and cool.
• Repeat from step 8 till cookie mixture is depleted.
• Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.
• Finished cookies should weigh just about 21 grams and measure about 3 1/4 inches in diameter.

OLD FASHIONED GERMAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Grind peanuts in food chopper or processor.
• Add stiffly beaten egg whites, flour and sugar, stir to mix well.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased and floured cookie sheets.
• Bake at 300 for 15 minutes.
• Let cool.