The following recipes are typical german christmas cookies, nearly every family bakes them:
Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Half-Moons)
Ingredients
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 vanilla beans, divided
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar for rolling
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Split the half of vanilla bean and scrape the seeds; stir the seeds into the butter mixture. Mix in the flour and ground almonds. Divide the dough into two pieces, wrap and refrigerate until firm.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Break off tablespoonful sized pieces of dough and roll them into little ropes about 2 inches long. Bend the ropes into a half circle and place them 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned. Scrape the seeds from the remaining vanilla bean and stir them into the confectioners' sugar. Carefully roll warm cookies in the vanilla sugar.
Zimtsterne (Cinnamon Stars)
Ingredients
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease your baking sheets.
2. Cream the butter, sugar, 2 eggs, egg yolk and lemon juice together until fluffy.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and stir in the chopped nuts.
4. On a lightly floured cloth-covered board roll the dough, 1/3 at a time, to 1/16 inch thick. Cut with a 1 inch star shaped cookie cutter. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets. Brush the tops of the cookies with the remaining egg white, beaten until frothy.
5. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 6 to 8 minutes.
6. Variations: Food coloring may be added to the egg white used to brush the tops of the cookies. Two cookies may be put together to form snowflakes with dabs of confectioners' sugar icing made with 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons cream.
Haselnussmakronen (Hazelnut Macaroons)
Ingredients
• 2 teaspoons butter, softened
• 2 egg whites
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts - blanched, skinned and ground
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1. Combine the ground nuts, cocoa, lemon peel, salt, and vanilla in a small bowl.
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they foam and thicken slightly. Sprinkle the sugar over them, and continue to beat until whites form stiff, unwavering peaks on the beater when lifted out of the bowl. Gently fold the nut mixture into the whites until thoroughly combined.
3. Coat a large baking sheet with 2 teaspoons softened butter. Drop the dough by tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about an inch apart. Let the cookies rest at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.
4. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Place the cookies in the middle of the oven; bake for 30 minutes, or until they are firm. With a spatula, carefully transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.