Last updated on December 11th, 2024
These vintage cookie recipes are from my Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Cook Book (1959) has recipes organized by holidays, anniversaries, birthdays, buffets, and parties.
Vintage Christmas Cookies:
Springerle – a traditional German cookie, known for its anise flavor and stamped designs.
Cooky Tarts (Sandbakelser) – a traditional Scandinavian cookie with a small tart-like shape and hollow center that can be filled with jam, fruit preserves, or marzipan. They are commonly baked in special sandbakkel molds.
Rainbow Wreaths (Berliner kranser) – colorful cookies in a wreath shape decorated with vibrant icing in various colors to resemble a rainbow.
Bowknots (fattigmann) – are a traditional Norwegian cookie typically deep-fried and made from a rich dough flavored with spices. They are made in bow or knot shape, made by twisting the dough before frying.
Rosette Cookies – a delicate, deep-fried cookie that resembles lace patterns. They are made by dipping a special rosette iron into batter, frying it until golden brown and dusted with powdered sugar.
Spritz – a traditional Italian cookie known for their distinctive shape and buttery flavor. They are typically made using a cookie press to create various decorative shapes.
Krumkaka – a Norwegian and Scandinavian cookie made with a batter cooked on a griddle to give a thin, crisp texture. Once cooked, they are rolled around a cone-shaped mold to create a delicate spiral shape, dusted with powdered sugar and filled with whipped cream or other sweet fillings.
Swedish German Cookies (Pepparkakor) – are a Swedish gingerbread which translates to “pepper cookies.” They are a thin, crisp cookie with a deep, spiced flavor of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and sometimes cardamom that are shaped into hearts or stars and decorated.
Noel Fruit Cookies (Lebkuchen) – a traditional German spiced gingerbread cookie, typically made using a combination of honey, sugar, spices (such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg), and often candied fruits or nuts.
Gumdrop Cookies – are a classic American cookie, that feature colorful gumdrops (candied fruit pieces).
Sugar Cookies – are a classic American cookie, with a buttery, sweet flavor, soft yet crisp texture rolled out and cut into shapes or simply dropped by spoonfuls onto baking sheets.
Coconut Balls – a typically small, bite-sized treat made from coconut and sweetened condensed milk, rolled into balls and then coated with additional desiccated coconut.
Holly Hermits – a holiday cookie known for their rich, spiced flavor and often include dried fruits, nuts, and warm spices.
Springerle
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 4 cups 1 pound sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 20 drops anise oil
- 4 cups sifted enriched flour
- 1 teaspoon soda
- Crushed anise seed
Instructions
- With electric mixer, beat eggs till light.
- Gradually add sugar and continue beating on high speed for 15 minutes or till like soft meringue.
- Add anise oil.
- Sift together flour and soda; blend into egg mixture on low speed.
- Cover bowl tightly with waxed paper or foil and let stand about 15 minutes (for easier handling).
- Divide dough in thirds.
- On lightly floured surface, roll each piece in an 8-inch square, a little more than 1/4 inch thick.
- Let stand 1 minute.
- Dust springerle rolling pin or mold lightly with flour; roll or press hard enough to make clear design.
- With a sharp knife, cut the cookies apart.
- Place on lightly floured surface; cover with a towel and let stand overnight.
- Grease baking sheets and sprinkle each with 12 to 2 teaspoons crushed anise seed.
- Brush excess flour from cookies; with finger, rub underside very lightly with cold water and place on baking sheets.
- Bake in slow oven (300°) about 20 minutes, till light straw color.
- Note: Springerle cookies taste best if you keep them a few days in tightly covered container before eating. (Springerle make excellent gifts if carefully wrapped.)
Images from Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Cook Book (1959)
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