Here’s a funny springerle story. I first came across springerle cookies when we were living in Kentucky. St. Meinrad is a monastery in Southern Indiana and probably in about 1998 or 1999, we visited there. We went on a tour, and visited the gift shop. They had springerle cookies in cute little bags so we bought some to try. I loved them. Even though anise isn’t my favorite flavor, he cookies were so good – sweet, crunchy on the outside, a bit chewy in the middle. I began looking for them, thinking I would have to order them online but found there are Donut Banks in and around Evansville, IN and around Christmas, they made and sold springerle cookies. Every year, I’d go over there and buy a couple dozen springerle cookies.
We moved away from Kentucky just after Christmas, 2006 and I was so dreading not having springerles. That’s when I figured out how to make them but one day, near Christmas, 2007, the mail man rang the doorbell and handed me two boxes – both from The Donut Bank. Each contained a dozen springerle cookies that two different friends, neither knowing the other was doing it, had sent me. The next day, I got a third box of springerles from a third friend there. They all knew how much I loved those cookies and it was so sweet of them to do that.
Now, I have to make springerles if I want them and even though the molds were lost for three or four years, I could have used the rolling pins but I was too aggravated about not having the molds so I didn’t even make them at least two of those years. Now that the molds have been found, I’m back to making cookies. Half of the springerle cookie dough is rolled out, cut and the cookies are drying.
It’s easier to see the design in the ones sitting on the bar as I was looking at them from a different angle.
Springerle cookies can also be made using a springerle rolling pin, which is much easier, much less expensive than buying a lot of molds but not quite as pretty or fun.
I have several of the rolling pins and used those before I started buying the molds.
This evening I will bake the anise cookies, then roll out the almond cookies, let them sit overnight and bake them tomorrow. That will probably be the end of the springerle baking for this year. I need to get sugar cookies made before Addie comes next time so she and I can decorate them.
Dottie Newkirk says
My (late) mother (who was from Germany) made these every year. One of my absolute favorite cookies EVER. I particularly loved the almond flavor (not a fan of anise). I can “almost” smell them.
TuNa Quilts says
Those cookies look delicious! When my kids were at home, I made rolled sugar cookies, cut out Christmas shapes using my favorite cookie cutters, and the kids used new little paint brushes and egg yolk paint to paint the cookies. I then sprinkled them with a tiny bit of granulated sugar (when I remembered) and baked them. They were beautiful just like stain glass and were delicious even though they didn’t have frosting. I thought maybe Addie would enjoy painting some cookies with you.
Joyce says
I have my Grandma’s Springerle rolling pin, and I make them every Christmas. (I made them over the weekend…) I took over the roll of making them when my Grandma was no longer able to, and I knew I had arrived the year she ate one and declared that I made them better than she did! LOL I share them with friends and family, so I don’t ever eat a whole batch! Eventually I may start making a half batch, because the number of people I have to share with has been getting smaller. 🙁 I’ve never liked licorice, but I like these cookies, although a whole batch to myself would be a bit much. (I make them with anise oil) I’ve debated on making some with almond flavoring just for some extra practice. I think I rolled them a little too thin this year.
Judy Laquidara says
I use the wooden strips on two opposite sides of the dough to be sure I get them the right thickness. Every year before I got those strips, I’d have some too thick and some too thin. Even with the strips, especially with the rolling pin, I can press too hard or not hard enough but they always taste great, even if some years they aren’t as pretty as other years.
How nice that your grandma loved your springerles and knew her tradition was being carried on. I told Vince today that I hope Addie will appreciate the effort and take over the springerle making some day.