Springerle Cookies for New Years (or possibly Christmas)

[crafty_packrat]

I just ordered a batch of springerle cookies from Springerle House for New Year's, or possibly Christmas. But probably New Year's, since it's almost certain that I'll be hosting a get-together at my apartment.

My mom got a batch (largest size) of springerle cookies from them for Thanksgiving. They were delicious! And had so many different turkey and harvest-themed cookie molds. I'll try to upload the pictures I took of some of them.

My grandmother used to make springerle cookies for the holidays, but hers were definitely hard dunkers -- Springerle House manages to make theirs with a crisp outside and a light, almost fluffy inside. I now have a springerle rolling pin as my mom gave me one she had, but I really doubt I'd be able to make as good a batch of cookies as Springerle House -- for one thing, the traditional recipe calls for hartshorn, aka baker's ammonia, aka ammonium carbonate, aka 'what IS that smell?!'. It's probably not a good idea to try baking with it in an apartment.

Tonight is the deadline for ordering Christmas cookies, so if you suddenly find yourself with a mighty need for anise-flavored picture cookies, you only have a little time left.

Comments

anise cookies

[texasgrandma]

You can use anise oil as I doubt you can find hartshorn. I found a recipe that calls for temp of 200 to 220 and a fairly long baking time. I think that if you don't let them sit they won't be hard when you bake them. It was from Martha Stewart but there are likely others available.