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Back to Basics: Christmas cookies
Try these 2 cookies, popular in Europe, this season
As holiday lights and Christmas trees go up, as Santa begins to make an appearance, and the holiday spirit starts to spread, families share traditions that signify this special time of year. One of those time-honored traditions is filling your house with cookies and sweets that smell of gingerbread, sugar and chocolate.
Christmas cookies are uniquely special and fun to bake thanks to all the variations, colors and flavors. Being multicultural, my family has an abundance of favorite American and European Christmas cookie recipes that we rotate through every year.
Since I’m sure that most of you have a great collection of American cookie recipes, this article covers two of my most favorite European cookies: Linzer Tarts and Vanilla-Walnut Crescents. These cookies are a must at a central-European Christmas table, and I’m betting that after you try them, they will deserve a permanent place in your regular cookie collection.
How are European Christmas Cookies different from American? In general, you can find a lot of similarities, but there are some aspects that differ, one being that European cookies tend to not include food coloring and sprinkles. European cookies use similar ingredients, but each cookie comes out tasting uniquely different from one another. And Europeans tend to use a little less sugar allowing other key ingredients to stand out more.
Linzer Tart Cookies
Linzer Tart Cookies originated in Austria centuries ago. Over the years, they made their way into other central European countries, where they were integrated into households so much that people started considering them their own. Preparing them is simple and fun. The best way to make them is using a self-standing kitchen mixer, but it also can be done with an electric mixer or by hand in a large mixing bowl, although this option will take longer and be messier.
First, place in a bowl the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and lemon zest and thoroughly hand stir with a whisk to make sure all ingredients, especially the baking powder, are evenly combined. This will help to get an even bake.
Then, add all remaining cookie dough ingredients: butter, eggs and vanilla extract, and process with a kitchen mixer with a flat beater attachment until it is fully combined. The final dough will be a bit sticky after processing, so it needs to be wrapped and placed in the refrigerator for at least one hour to harden.
Keep in mind that if the dough is in the refrigerator longer and fully hardens (for example, overnight), it needs to be removed from the refrigerator about an hour before cookie cutting to partially soften. The dough can’t be at room temperature but it also cannot be at full refrigerator temperature — the ideal is somewhere in between.
Once firm, place the dough on a work surface and gently flour the top of the dough. Then flatten it into a thickness about 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thickness. Try to have a dough that is flattened to an even thickness all over to make the upcoming baking a breeze. When done, cut shapes using cookie cutters. You can use regular circle cutters, or you can make it more fun by using all sorts of Christmas cookie cutters. You can be as creative as you want; but always make sure to end up with even numbers of each cookie shape because after baking you will connect two of the same to make a cookie sandwich.
Bake on a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat in an oven preheated to 350 degrees until done, which usually takes 12 to 15 minutes. After the cookies are done, let fully cool and then start connecting them together with strawberry preserve (or any other red preserve). When done, let the cookies settle overnight for the best results.
Finally, gently powder with powdered sugar for the perfect final touch right before serving. These cookies don’t need refrigeration and last a few weeks.
Vanilla Walnut Crescent Cookies
You will not need a cookie cutter for vanilla walnut crescents, but you will need a nut grinder or kitchen food processor to breakdown the walnuts. I prefer to use the latter and always start preparation of this recipe by placing all walnuts into a kitchen food processor and processing them on high speed until a fine texture is reached, or larger chunks are not present (about 2 minutes).
Like Linzer Tart Cookies, it is best to use a kitchen mixer with a flat beater to prepare the dough, but it can be prepared in a large mixing bowl by hand as well.
First, place the processed walnuts into a mixing bowl along with flour, powdered sugar, and baking powder and thoroughly hand stir. Then add butter and an egg and process the ingredients until fully combined.
Like Linzer Tart Cookies, this dough needs to partially harden before further use. To make your upcoming forming easier, flatten the dough into a dish shape of about 3/4-inch thickness before placing into the refrigerator.
While refrigerating the dough, prepare a sugarcoating mixture that will be used soon after baking. Simply stir the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar together.
Vanilla sugar is a less common ingredient in the United States but it can be purchased online for a reasonable price. Optionally, you can prepare your own vanilla sugar ahead of time (see my recipe).
When the dough partially hardens, place it on a non-floured surface and then cut into long, even strips. Then gently roll each strip into a diameter of 1/2 inch and cut each strip into segments of 3 inches.
Bend each segment into a horseshoe shape by bending both ends towards each other and immediately placing them on a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. When all cookies are formed, bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees until done, about 10 to 12 minutes.
After baking, let the cookies partially cool and then coat each with the sugar coating. Be gentle when moving each crescent — you can use an icing spatula for easier manipulation. Place the coated mini crescents on a cooling rack to let cool. These cookies taste great for days after cooling but are especially delicious when slightly warm soon after baking.
Have a merry Christmas and a happy holidays!
Tom Slepicka is the founder of www.cookinghub.com, and is a recipe creator, culinary instructor, chef, and a consultant. You can reach him at tom@cookinghub.com.
Recipes
Linzer Tart Cookies
Yield: About 25 to 30 cookie sandwiches
Active Time: 40 minutes/Total time 110 minutes
Looking for a creative approach to Christmas cookies? What about a cookie sandwich filled with your favorite red marmalade? The other great thing is that you can select any cookie cutter you like, for example, a round cookie cutter for casual occasions and a star cookie cutter for Christmas. Customize and be creative.
Ingredients
For the dough
3 cups of all-purpose flour, plus extra flour for flouring surface
2 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Lemon zest from one lemon
2 1/2 sticks (10 ounces) of butter, soft (room temperature)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling
About 1 cup of strawberry preserves — adjust if needed
Optional final touch: Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Directions
To make the dough: Place into a kitchen mixer with a flat beater attachment: 3 cups of flour, 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; and lemon zest. Shortly stir together using a hand whisk until nicely combined (about 1 minute).
Add to the dough 2 1/2 sticks softened butter; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Process at a slow speed until all ingredients are partially combined. Then increase the speed to medium-high and process until the dough is formed (about 2 to 3 minutes).
Note: The cookie dough will be sticky after processing. It will harden during the resting time in the fridge.
Resting time: Wrap the dough with plastic wrap (scoop it onto the wrap and then cover it with the wrap).
Tip: If you want to work with the dough soon, form it into a disk, not into a roll shape.
Let cool in the refrigerator until partially, but not totally, hardened (about 1 hour).
Important: If the dough in the refrigerator fully hardens (if left for a longer time, for example, overnight), remove from the refrigerator about an hour before cookie cutting.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the cookies: Work one-by-one on a floured surface. The dough needs to always sit on a floured surface during flattening to be able to separate the cut cookies that are ready to bake.
It is essential to work fast with the dough.
If it becomes hard to work with the dough after a while (it becomes too soft to form), place it back into the refrigerator to let it cool and harden. Optionally, you can keep placing the scraps from the dough into the fridge before further processing to prevent the dough from softening.
Place the dough on a floured surface and lightly flour the top of the dough.
Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough into about 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thickness (based on your preference). If the dough starts sticking, add flour.
Cut the cookies using the cookie cutter(s) of your choice.
Important: If you are using different cookie cutters, make sure you cut even numbers of each shape — to be able to later create a “sandwich.”
Gently place the cookies on a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Important: Make sure they are not touching each other (about 12 to 15 on each baking sheet).
Tip: Use an icing spatula when moving the cut cookies to the baking sheet for easier manipulation.
With the leftovers from the cut dough: quickly form the dough from them (with your hands) and roll them again with a rolling pin to cut more cookies.
Bake cookies in a preheated oven until fully baked. The surface turns from a doughy texture to a solid but slightly fluffy texture (about 8 to 10 minutes).
Rotate the baking sheets in the middle of baking.
Notes:
If flattened unevenly (even just slightly), each cookie can have a slightly different baking time, so closely watch when you get close to the end of baking and remove each, one by one, if necessary.
Right after baking, the cookies have a soft texture, which can make some people confused and think it is a sign of underbaking; this is why some people tend to extend the baking time and overbake cookies. To ensure cookies are properly baked, watch the surface texture and bake the cookies for at least 8 minutes to reach the best results.
Let totally cool on the baking sheet before assembly (or using an icing spatula, move to a cooling rack).
To assemble the cookie sandwiches: Spread the preserve on half of the cookies and cover them with a cookie that does not have preserves to make a “sandwich.”
Place into the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving.
Optionally, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Note: Refrigeration of the finished cookies is optional but not necessary.
Tip: If parts of the ingredients stick to the side of the kitchen mixer during processing, stop the mixer, and use a spatula to mix it back in. Then, continue processing.
Tip: You can leave the dough to rest in the refrigerator longer (up to 3 days). Remove and leave at room temperature for about 1 hour before processing.
Source: Tom Slepicka
Vanilla-Walnut Crescents
Yield: About 35 to 40 mini crescents
Active Time: 40 minutes/Total time: 100 minutes
These are one of my favorite Christmas cookies. The great flavor of walnuts formed into delicate crescents, which were then coated with decadent vanilla sugar and powdered sugar is hard to beat.
Ingredients
For the dough
1 1/2 cups of walnuts, whole
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 sticks (about 7 ounces) butter, soft (room temperature)
1 large egg
For the coating
1 cup powdered sugar
1 bag (about 1 tablespoon) vanilla sugar *
* Can be purchased on Amazon.com. Usually sold in a package of 5 individual bags, and costs about $5 dollars. Alternatively, you can make your own by placing 1/2 cup sugar and pour over about 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Do not cover and let fully dry overnight. When dry, place into a small blender and process until smooth with little crystals.
Directions
For walnut preparation: Place into a food processor the 1 1/2 cups of walnuts. Process on high speed until a fine texture is reached — no large chunks are present (about 2 minutes).
For the dough: Place into the bowl of a kitchen mixer with a flat beater attachment: the processed walnuts, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup powdered sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.
Shortly stir together using a hand whisk until nicely combined (about 1 minute).
To that mixture add the 1 3/4 sticks softened butter and 1 large egg, processing at a slow speed until all ingredients are partially combined. Then increase the speed to medium-high to process until dough is formed (about 2 to 3 minutes).
Resting time: Wrap the dough with plastic wrap: scoop it onto the wrap and then cover with the wrap and press to create a flat disk with a thickness of about 3/4 inches.
Let cool in the refrigerator until the dough at least partially hardens (about 30 minutes).
Important: If the dough in the refrigerator fully hardens (if left for a longer time, for example, overnight), remove from the refrigerator about a half-hour to an hour before further processing.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
For the sugar coating: Place into a medium mixing bowl1 cup powdered sugar and 1 bag of vanilla sugar. Thoroughly stir together with a whisk until nicely combined.
To form the crescents: Work one-by-one on a non-floured surface. It is essential to work fast with the dough. If the dough becomes hard to work with after a while (it becomes too soft to form the crescents), place back in the refrigerator to let it cool and harden before further use.
Cut the dough into long strips and then roll each into a round diameter of about 1/2 inch.
Cut each strip into similar segments (each about 3 inches long).
Bend each segment into a horseshoe shape by bending both ends toward each other and immediately placing them on a baking sheet.
Important: Ensure the cookies are not touching each other, you can have up to 24 on each baking sheet).
Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake cookies in a preheated oven until fully baked — when the surface turns from a doughy texture to a solid (about 10 to 12 minutes) texture.
Rotate the baking sheets in the middle of baking.
Note: Right after baking, the crescents have a soft texture, which can confuse some people and make them think it is a sign of underbaking; this is why some people tend to extend the baking time and overbake their cookies.
Let partially cool on the baking sheet before further manipulation (for about 3 minutes).
Coat the crescents: While still warm, coat each mini crescent in the sugar coating.
Tip: Manipulate each crescent gently (you can use an icing spatula for easier manipulation). Place the coated mini crescents on a cooling rack.
8.3. When all crescents are coated, place the remaining sugar mixture into a small sieve and gently sugar all crescents.
Tips: If parts of the ingredients stick to the side of the kitchen mixer during processing, stop the mixer, and use a spatula to mix it back in. Then, continue processing. You can leave the dough to rest in the refrigerator longer (up to 3 days), remove and leave at room temperature for about 1 hour before processing.
Source: Tom Slepicka
Good to know
There are two major kinds of rolling pins: a regular version with side handles and a French version that is a single piece and does not have handles attached. The decision of which to select is up to you — both will get the job done. I was used to using a regular rolling pin but switched to a French-style and have not gone back. When rolling dough with a rolling pin, people’s hands often naturally go towards the center to get more strength and control, so handles are no longer needed. For this reason, a French-style rolling pin is more ergonomic. The slightly bowed shape of the French rolling pin provides an easier way to reach a more even result for rolling dough. Additionally, a French rolling pin has no moving parts, so it will most likely last longer than those with handles.
For Linzer tarts and any cookie whose dough needs to be flattened with a rolling pin, it is good to have one long icing spatula (as long as possible, but shorter spatulas will do the job, too). The surface under the dough needs to be floured, but the dough can still stick to the surface during rolling thanks to the rolling motion. This is where the icing spatula comes in handy since it helps to gently release the dough from the work surface and can be used to move cookies from surface to surface after the shapes have been cut.
Linzer tarts and many other cookies ask for a zester to zest the lemon or other citruses. Zesters do the job just fine, but I personally prefer to use a small hand grater with fine openings. It prevents me from having too large of pieces, and instead, fine pieces of zest get better incorporated into the dough.
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