Springerle Cookies

Springerle are the crown jewels of German holiday baking, and they’ve been made this way for centuries. These anise-scented cookies get their iconic raised designs from a carved rolling pin pressed firmly into the chilled dough, then they air-dry overnight so the pattern sets before baking.

The dough is closer to a meringue base than a typical cookie. Eggs beaten until thick and lemon-colored provide all the lift, with just a tiny pinch of baking powder for insurance. There’s no butter or oil in this dough at all, which is what gives springerle their signature dry, almost chalky snap that softens when stored in a tin.

That 12-hour drying step is not optional. It’s what creates the smooth, pale top while the bottom stays soft against the anise-seed-covered baking sheet. Skip it, and the designs puff away into nothing. The crushed anise seeds underneath perfume each cookie from the bottom up as they bake low and slow.

Chef Tips

• Flour the springerle rolling pin generously between each pass. Sticky dough will blur the carved designs.
• Roll the dough to exactly ¼ inch. Thinner dough won’t hold the imprint; thicker won’t dry properly.
• Bake until just barely light yellow, not golden. Springerle should stay nearly white.
• Store in an airtight tin for at least a week before eating. They actually improve with age as the anise flavor mellows and the texture softens.

Variations

• Almond extract: Replace the lemon zest with almond extract for a marzipan-like flavor profile.
• Vanilla bean: Scrape a vanilla bean into the dough for a more delicate, less citrusy cookie.