What would Christmas be without homemade Christmas cookies?!
In Germany there is a huge variety of Christmas cookies, the bakers usually start baking the goodies shortly after Thanksgiving. Here is one very simple recipe for traditional German “Butterplaetzchen“:
“Butterplaetzchen” (yields approx. 80 cookies)
· 250g (approx. 9oz) all purpose flour
· 325g (approx. 11.5oz) confectioner’s sugar
· 1 pinch of salt
· lemon peel of 1/2 lemon
· 1 egg
· 120g (approx. 4.3oz) cold butter
Heap flour with confectioner’s sugar, salt and lemon peel on work surface. Place the egg on top. Cut butter in little pieces and distribute evenly over the other ingredients. Working fast, combine everything to a firm dough. Cover in plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for at least one hour. Put parchment paper on a baking sheet. Roll out dough to 3-4mm thickness. With a cookie cutter, cut out shapes. Glaze cookies (mix confectioner’s sugar with lemon juice, Rum, syrup or coffee, or mix egg yolk with cream, add sliced almonds….). Put cookies on baking sheet and bake at approx. 350F for approx. 8-10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet, let cool.
The cookies are perfect when they are light golden brown and are delicious with a cup of coffee or tea… Enjoy!