Spectacular Springerle Cookies

Springerles are a most beautiful dessert, a cookie that is often proclaimed “too pretty to eat”.

But don’t let that stop you from gobbling them up, or even making them yourself.

With their delicately detailed appearance, you may think Springerle cookies are hard to make. Don’t be deterred, they’re actually quite easy.

Over the last year, I’ve enjoyed conducting interviews with Springerle bakers, mold makers and collectors, recipe developers and Springerle archivists from around the country and you’ll read snippets and tips from some of those interviews sprinkled throughout this post.

(I’ve also added a Food in Motion video which is located just below the full recipe).

_{“Many people are intimidated by the process of making Springerles. Really, you just have to learn the technique”}

_{-Connie Meisinger, Former owner, House on a Hill}

Wreath-wearing reindeer, rustic St. Nicks, holly leaves, prickly pinecones, old-fashioned sleigh riders and stately scarf-clad snowmen are just some of the crisp depictions that bake beautifully into Springerle cookies that also serve as conversation starters.

“People can’t quite imagine that you could get that much detail on a cookie and that’s a big attraction. It’s just too pretty and some people don’t want to mess up the pattern with a bite. But they get over it”, says Letha Misener, new owner of House on the Hill mail order Springerle mold company, based in Rosebud, Missouri.

Misener bought the company last year from Connie Meisinger, who grew up eating and savoring her grandmother’s Springerle cookies.  When her beloved and elderly “Nini” could no longer make them, Connie wholeheartedly embraced the family’s Springerle recipe and cookie baking tradition as a way of paying homage her grandma. “She was so proud and happy that I was passing down the tradition and sharing the cookies. And that really made me happy.  She was my favorite grandmother and I loved her very much. It was an honor to please her”, Meisinger says.

With her permission, I’ve included Meisinger’s grandmother Nini’s recipe below.

FOOD IN MOTION

What the Heck is Hartshorn?

Hartshorn is a traditional ingredient in the Springerle recipe which acts as a leavening agent which causes Springerle dough to rise and helps give the cookie volume and a fluffy texture.

Hartshorn gets its name from Old World bakers who used powdered deer (harts) horns to create this baking additive.  Today, it’s more commonly called baker’s ammonia or ammonium carbonate today and if it can’t be found on grocery store shelves, it’s easily found online.

Now, you may question if any ingredient with the word “ammonia” is safe to use in a baked good. The strong odor of baker’s ammonium and ammonium carbonate evaporate during the baking process, and it’s considered safe when used properly.

Do NOT eat raw cookie dough with Hartshorn.

If you’re reticent to use Hartshorn, you can always substitute an equal amount of baking powder.

A Little History

Springerle cookies (pronounced SHPRING-ER-LA) cookies are charming, biscuit-like cookies that are made using intricately carved molds that leave stunning, detailed impressions in the dough.

With Old World European roots and recipes often handed down through generations, Springerle cookies are especially appealing around the holiday season.

Historians trace the name, Springerle back to old German dialect which means “little knight” or “jumping horse” which may reference the way the cookie image springs up from the dough during baking.

While the exact origin of Springerles is unknown, it’s commonly traced to old World southwestern Germany and Switzerland as far back as the 14^th century.

At that time, the images had a purpose far beyond just aesthetics. The scenes on Springerles were a valuable form of storytelling, a way of recording history and even communication among bakers whose literacy skills may have been lacking. Books were rare and the pictures on the cookies were edible stories and valuable messaging.

The craftsmen who made a living carving cookie molds from wood or clay, helped to record hundreds of years of history with their carvings depicting everyday life, events, landscapes and special occasions.

The image that is pressed into a springerle cookie is actually a mirror image of the mold that was used to make it, as you can see in the photo below.

Springerles also have a deep-rooted religious association as monasteries across Old World Europe often produced the biscuit-like cookies depicting various biblical scenes, which were reminders of religious faith and tenants, especially around Christmas.

Over time, the motifs became even more varied to include scenes of everyday life and labor, like farming, baking, gardening and more.

Flavor Profiles

Springerles are more of a single tea cookie than the kind of cookie you would eat in handfuls, one after another.

I think this delicate and elegant cookie should be slowly savored and enjoyed for their beauty and understated flavor.

The biscuit-like texture has a hint of sweetness and would pair perfectly with a warm tea or coffee for a gourmet-inspired combination.

Collecting Molds

The two molds below are the first two Springerle molds I ever bought more than a decade ago. All these years later, they’re still my favorite.

I love the lady with her fancy, bustle dress and parasol and the dapper young man riding his penny farthing. They’re such a vintage vibe, right? I’ve listed the source and item number beneath the images of molds in this post.

As much as bakers love the cookies, the molds are equally swoon-worthy.  Once you buy one Springerle mold, it very well could be the beginning of a growing collection. I’m willing to bet you won’t be able to stop with just one mold.

_{“I have a few molds that will be the first thing I grab if my house ever catches fire”}

_{-Amy Landolt-Eber, Springerle mold collector and baker}

When Amy Landolt-Eber was 8 years old, she bought her first Springerle cookie mold for a few dollars at a garage estate sale.  The fascination with her newly acquired treasure stuck.

Nearly six decades later, Landolt-Eber is still baking Springerle cookies and adding to her growing collection of Springer molds, which has now grown to nearly one thousand.  “When I lived in Switzerland, I would go to secondhand shops looking for cookie molds. I would literally prowl every week for years to try to score something, she says.  “I have a few molds that I will be the first thing I grab if my house ever catches fire”, Landolt-Eber adds with a chuckle.

Tips for Springerle Success

While you may be eager to eat this cookies right away, this is definitely a cookie that you must make in advance in order to enjoy their best flavor.

It wasn’t until three days after I made my first cookies (and storing them in an airtight container), that their delicious flavor fully expressed itself.

_{“Shallow molds and using the wrong type of cookie recipe will hurt your chances for Springerle success”.}

-Anne Watson, Author, Baking With Molds

Like anything, making successful Springerle cookies may have a small learning curve. There are a few things you can do to help ensure your first batches come out well.

1. Start with a deep mold. If the mold is too shallow, the image will not bake up as clearly and this may end up discouraging you from future attempts.
2. Use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour.  All-purpose flour will give you a much harder cookie and you’ll want your Springerles to have a more cake-like texture.
3. Dry your cookies 24 hours before baking. Yes, you must do this. Drying will allow the surface of the cookie to form a crust and that will help maintain the detailed image during baking.
4.  Use a pastry brush to apply a bit of flour to the mold before pressing it into the dough. You must brush the mold before each use to keep the dough from sticking to the mold. Never use non-stick spray or oils on your molds.
5. Allow the flavor to develop. Make your cookies in advance (several days) before eating and gifting. This way the flavor will have time to develop and mellow for a much tastier cookie.
6. Keep them stored in an airtight tin or container.

Anne Watson, author of Baking with Cookie Molds suggests new Springerle makers start small and work their way up to more complex molds. “I’d say go step by step and start with something fairly easy. And then, as you get better at it and get more confidence, look for the molds that you really love, that means something to you”, advises Watson.

It’s important to keep in mind that you need to give yourself adequate time to make Springerle cookies. Since the dough needs to rest overnight and the cookies need to dry for at least 24 hours, these are not cookies you plan to make in one day.

If you’re going to gift them, add a few extra days to the mix to allow the flavor to develop so your cookie recipients will get the best-tasting cookie possible.

Springerle cookies may seem labor and time intensive but please don’t be discouraged.

Plan ahead, Springerles are well-worth it the effort.

The more time you spend on these cookies, the more love you’re adding to them too.

And that’s always delicious.

Springerle Resources

There are many sources online to discover Springerle molds to suit your interest or special occasion.

Here are some of my favorite Springerle mold and supply sources:

Fancy Flour • Gingerhaus • Anis-Paradies

Fancy Flours • Springerle Emporium

Anne Watson’s wonderful book, Baking With Cookie Molds is another lovely resource with recipes and tips for Springerles, Speculas, Gingerbread and more.

Also, there are a number of Facebook groups too, devoted to the art of Springerles and molded cookie making which makes for a fun, like-minded baking community of inspiration, feedback and cookie photo sharing.

Creating Traditions

Many longtime Springerle bakers I spoke with grew up watching these beautiful cookies being created.

If you’ve never made Springerles before, this could be a perfect time to build new memories and traditions in your own home.

It’s been fun for me over the years to use my molds in a variety of ways and recipes. You how I used my favorite two molds for gingerbread in my previous post HERE. And you can also see how I used the same molds for a craft project from a much older post HERE.

I think if you just browse a few of the cookie molds, you’ll be intrigued to give this very old cookie a try.

It may take a wee bit of trial and error to get that first batch the way you want, but stick with it.

These beautiful cookies deserve to be made, enjoyed and shared, this holiday season (and any other time of year you like).

You can see more Springerle making on my IG reel HERE.

Have fun.

Thanks so much for popping by.

I hope you’re inspired to make Spectacular Springerle cookies for your friends and family for years to come.

Happy holidays.

See you back here next time.♥