29 german cookie recipes

Lemony springerle, traditional German embossed cookies stamped from a wooden mold and air-dried overnight before baking. Lemon zest brightens the classic anise.

Traditional German sand tarts rolled paper-thin, cut into diamonds, brushed with egg white, and topped with cinnamon sugar and a pecan half. Crispy, buttery holiday cookies.

The Pennsylvania Dutch settlers made these at Thanksgiving and stored them in a stoneware crock until Christmas. The cookies can be made at any time, but allowed to age for 4-6 weeks.

Gingersnap pot roast slow-cooked with sweet potatoes and carrots in a tangy gingersnap-vinegar gravy. A German-inspired crockpot dinner where the cookies thicken and flavor the sauce.

Traditional German Spekulatius Christmas cookies spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, made with ground almonds and butter. Thin, crisp, and warmly spiced, these are a holiday cookie tin essential.

Pfefferkuchen, a German honey spice cake with whole wheat flour, coffee, cinnamon, cloves, and rum, glazed while hot. A traditional Christmas cookie bar that stays soft for weeks.

Traditional German lebkuchen: honey-and-molasses spice cookies studded with citron and nuts, finished with a brushed sugar glaze. A heritage Christmas cookie that gets better as it ages.

Traditional German springerle cookies with anise and lemon, stamped with intricate designs using a springerle rolling pin. A classic holiday cookie that air-dries overnight for a crisp, white finish.

Pfeffernuesse are traditional German spice cookies made with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, black pepper, rum, and candied lemon peel, finished with a white icing.

Rich chocolate drop cookies loaded with flaked coconut, chopped pecans, and chocolate chips, each topped with a pecan half. Melted unsweetened chocolate in the batter gives them a deep, fudgy flavor that tastes like a German chocolate cake in cookie form.

Haselnussmakronen, traditional German hazelnut macaroons: a cocoa meringue folded with crushed hazelnuts and lemon zest, baked low into chewy, flourless cookies. A naturally gluten-free holiday treat.

Traditional German almond cookies shaped into hearts, with a tender flourless crumb made from ground almonds, egg yolks, and lemon extract, topped with a bright lemon icing. Naturally gluten-free and irresistible.

Berlin Bread is a spiced German bar cookie loaded with grated chocolate, almonds, rum, apple preserves, and candied lemon peel. Iced while warm and sliced thin, these fragrant little bars belong on every holiday baking list.