What are springerle cookies and where did they come from?

Some History

Springerle cookies were first seen in the 14th century in southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Most people at the time were uneducated and these sweet treats served to teach some history to the masses. Many of the scenes showed biblical images. The name of the cookie in German means “little knight”. This might refer to the traditional designs that were featured but some speculate that the name refers to the “springing-up” nature of the dough when baked. Later, the scenes reflected the holidays and most people think of Springerles at Christmastime. They were also used to celebrate births, weddings and as engagement tokens. Today, a growing number of enthusiasts are baking Springerles throughout the year and are developing many new flavor variations for these beautiful molded creations.

Traditional molds were hand-carved in dense, even textured hardwood. They were either flat molds or in the form of rolling pins. These were good and many antique molds still exist, but the ravages of the kitchen environment (wet to dry and back again) caused the demise of many others. In my family, Grandma’s mold suffered such a fate. Modern molds are made of food-safe resin. Anis~Paradies travels throughout Europe locating antique molds and carefully recreating them in resin which is waterproof and nearly indestructible. These are the molds which will be handed down to future generations.

Anise or Not?

Traditional Springerles were flavored with anise seed, a spicy herb that was used in crushed form. Anise extract and anise oil are also used successfully.

Anise flavoring definitely has it’s fans. Some people have developed a multitude of flavor variations including almond, raspberry, and lemon. Springerles are too beautiful to be enjoyed in only one dimension or only once a year!

The base dough is an egg/flour/sugar dough. After mixing, the dough is rolled out and pressed with the mold. To preserve the impressed image, the dough is allowed to rest and dry for 12-24 hours. After baking, sometimes the design is enhanced by color.

There are so many designs in modern molds available, it’s hard to choose just one. So don’t. Start a collection. Start a new family springerle tradition!