Springerle

Springerle (in Germany, pronounced “Schpring-er-luh”) is an anise-flavored cookie known for its (paradoxical) sturdiness and delicacy is quite common in the Swabian region in the southwest of Germany. These cookies hold up for weeks, if not months, at a time because they are primarily made of egg, flour, and sugar. As they age, the cookies lose some of their softness (don’t we all?) but retain their spiced flavor and become an ideal accompaniment to tea or coffee. Durable and practical in one sense, Springerle are also intricate in design. After the dough is mixed, shaped, and rolled, it is imprinted by an embossed panel, then cut and left out to dry. That drying period locks in the design and prevents the impression from disappearing in the bake.

Oxbow

Springerle

Prep Time

30-60 minutes

Bake Time

12-15 minutes

Total Time

12-25 hours

Yield

65-85 cookies

Varietal

Glacier Peak Bread Flour

Ingredients:

  • 900g Glacier Peak Bread Flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 30g whole milk
  • 350g eggs (6-7 eggs)
  • 700g powdered sugar
  • 114g softened butter
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Scant tablespoon ground anise seed
  • Optional: whole anise seed

Baker's Notes:

* Oxbow tip: Use a 5/16" wooden dowel rod as your guide while rolling out the dough.

** Optional: you can add whole anise seed to the tray so the larger seeds bake into the bottom of the cookie.

The Oxbow stamp size is approximately 1.5” x 2.25” – if your stamp size is significantly larger, you may need to add a few minutes to the bake time. Check the bottom for light golden brown color as a guide.

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to one month.

Instructions:

  1. Dissolve baking powder in milk and set aside.
  2. Beat eggs in a mixer on speed 2 until light in color, about 6 minutes.
  3. Mixing until just combined, add in powdered sugar, then butter. Then the milk mixture and salt.
  4. Gradually beat in the flour and ground anise seed; this will make a very stiff dough.
  5. Roll out the dough onto the table between two sheets of parchment. The dough should be 5/16".*
  6. Using your stamp, press into the dough, stamping evenly across the entire surface.
  7. Using a bench scraper, cut out each cookie and place them on a parchment lined sheet tray, approximately 8x6.**
  8. Let the cookies dry on a rack for 12 - 24 hours before baking. The edges and top should show clear signs of drying while the bottom stays slightly moist and yellow.
  9. Bake at 325 degrees, low-fan convection, for 12-15 minutes until just golden on the bottoms. The tops will remain white.

Baker's Notes:

* Oxbow tip: Use a 5/16" wooden dowel rod as your guide while rolling out the dough.

** Optional: you can add whole anise seed to the tray so the larger seeds bake into the bottom of the cookie.

The Oxbow stamp size is approximately 1.5” x 2.25” – if your stamp size is significantly larger, you may need to add a few minutes to the bake time. Check the bottom for light golden brown color as a guide.

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to one month.

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