Plätzchen: A German Christmastime Tradition

By Jana Immink

In Germany, the Christmas season starts with baking the first batch of “Plätzchen,” traditional German Christmas cookies. The custom of baking Christmas cookies dates back many centuries to before Christ. For the festival of winter solstice, Germanic tribes made sacrificial breads from which the Christmas breads developed—today’s “Christstollen.” Since it was expensive to manufacture, less wealthy families started baking smaller and simpler versions—the Christmas cookies.

There is nothing better than homemade Christmas cookies to sweeten the wait for Christmas. To this day, this artisanal tradition thrusts all grown-ups back into their childhoods. Starting in late November, grandparents, parents, and children gather in the kitchen, hum to the sound of joyful Christmas music, and bake little delicacies together. This way, cookie recipes get passed down from generation to generation.

3 Easy Classics for You to Try

Unlike American cookies, which taste best freshly baked, the German Christmas cookies below will last for up to 6–8 weeks in an airtight container. Traditionally, only a small selection will be “on display” on coffee tables and kitchen counters for the cookies not to become dry, and plates are refilled regularly.

Zimtsterne / Cinnamon Stars

When I asked my husband what comes to mind when he thinks of German homemade Christmas cookies, he immediately shouted, “My mum’s cinnamon stars!“ Below is her go-to recipe with which she will traditionally open “Christmas cookie baking season” in late November.

Ingredients

For the dough:

500 gr (2 ½ cups) ground almonds
300 gr (1 ½ cups) powdered sugar
16 gr (2 tsp) cinnamon
2 egg whites
2 Tbsp almond flavoring
Powdered sugar to work with the dough

For the glaze:

1 egg white
125 gr (2/3 cup) powdered sugar

Cookie Preparation

Mix almonds, powdered sugar, and cinnamon.
Add 2 egg whites and almond flavoring. Mix everything with the kneading hook of the mixer. Then, knead with your hands to a smooth dough.
Roll out the dough in portions on a work surface dusted with powdered sugar, about 1 cm thick.
With a cookie cutter, cut out the stars and place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. (Note: Dip the cookie cutter in powdered sugar from time to time.)
Bake the stars in the preheated oven on the bottom shelf at 150°C for 10–15 minutes (the white egg-sugar coating should stay crisp white).
Take them out of the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Glaze Preparation

Beat 1 egg white until stiff.
Gradually add powdered sugar, continuing to beat.
Brush the cooled stars with the mixture until the top of the cookie is fully covered.

Vanillekipferl / Vanilla Crescents

A Christmas classic, the “Vanillekipferl” is a staple around Christmas time. These buttery, delicate, moon-shaped goodies with a hint of vanilla are simply a dream! The recipe below is “Great-Grandma’s Vanilla Crescents,” indicating the heritage and decades it has endured in our family.

Dough Ingredients

250 gr (1 ¼ cups) flour
210 gr (1 cup) butter
100 gr (1/2 cup) almonds (grounded)
80 gr (1/3 cup) sugar
16 gr (2 Tbsp) vanilla sugar

Powdered Sugar Mixture (to cover the crescents)

250 gr (1 ¼ cups) powdered sugar
16 gr (2 Tbsp) vanilla sugar

Preparation

Mix flour, butter, almonds, sugar, and vanilla sugar in a bowl. Once combined, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, mix the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar in a separate bowl and set aside.
Remove the cooled dough from the plastic wrap. Shape the dough into a roll with an approximate diameter of 4 cm. Then cut into 1–2 cm thick slices.
Form the crescents out of these slices and place them on a baking paper-lined tray. Make sure to leave 3 cm between the crescents on the tray.
Bake in a convection oven at 175°C (350°F) for about 20 minutes. When the crescents begin to tan, remove them from the oven. Tip: It is best to bake the trays individually, otherwise they will cool down too much and you will not be able to coat the cookies in the icing mixture in time.If the cookies are too warm, they break very easily. If they are too cold, the powdered sugar will not adhere well.
Let the crescents cool for about 3 minutes.
Place crescents the prepared powdered sugar mixture and coat from all sides. Note: The powdered sugar mixture is a bit like a breading mixture; you coat the warm crescent on all sides in the mixture.

Lebkuchenhaus / Mini Gingerbread Houses—A Kids’ Special

These are actually not cookies but Christmas treats (or gifts!) made with biscuits. The preparation is easy and lots of fun for all ages, especially for kids. Wrapped up, they make for a lovely seasonal gift. This recipe makes 12 houses.

Ingredients

36 pieces Petit Beurre or other rectangular tea biscuits
6–8 Tbsp lemon juice
720 gr (3 ½ cups) powdered sugar
To your liking, various sweets for decoration (e.g. gummy bears, sprinkles, etc.)

Preparation

Mix the lemon juice and powdered sugar. Make sure the icing is thick.
Place the sweets for decorating in small bowls.
Take one biscuit as a base. Put some icing on the sides and arrange two additional biscuits at an angle as the “roof” of the house. Note: If needed, place a larger sweet on the center of the base, fix it with a bit of icing, and use it to help stabilize the roof.
At the point where the biscuits meet up to form the roof, pour icing such that it runs over the roof (this will look like snow later).
Now, the house only needs to be decorated with your favorite sweets.
Let everything dry well.

More “Plätzchen“

If these recipes have inspired you, the following websites have huge range of authentic German Christmas cookie recipes. Enjoy!

https://www.theomaway.com/german-culture/traditional-german-christmas-cookies-recipes/
https://www.thelocal.de/20191219/german-cookies-that-just-must-be-baked-or-bought-christmas-pastry
https://germanfoods.org/recipes/recipe-collections-german-christmas-cookies/

Meet the Author, Jana Immink

Born and raised in the picturesque city of Heidelberg, Germany, Jana Immink has lived and worked in various countries across Europe and the Middle East for the past fifteen years. When traveling, she loves to explore new cultures through all senses, especially by indulging in delicacies of the local cuisine. When Jana is not connecting with her German roots by baking Christmas cookies, she unwinds from her work as a strategy consultant by soaking in fresh air during long forest walks or doing handicraft. Jana currently resides in Zurich, Switzerland, with her beloved husband and baby boy.

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