Vanillehörnchen are my all-time favorite, traditional German Christmas cookies.
These cookies are quick and easy to bake. I'm sure they will become a family favorite and be gone in no time. Store the Vanillahörnchen in a tin, they will keep for about 3 weeks if you can keep your family from eating them in one sitting.
Ingredients for approx. 25 - 30 cookies
- 260g (2 1/2 cups) plain flour, sifted
- 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
- 100g (1/2 cup) ground almonds or hazel nuts
- 1 egg yolk
- 200g (1 cup) soft butter
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar to dust the Vanillahörnchen
- Put 200g sugar into a jar with a lid, slice one Vanilla Bean, remove the pulp with a small spoon and cut the bean into 2 or 3 pieces. Add the pulp and the vanilla bean pieces to the sugar. Close the jar and let the vanilla sugar rest for a few day, shake now and then. This sugar is so much better than store bought, with lots more aroma and taste.
Directions
Mix the butter, salt, vanilla sugar and egg yolk in a bowl with a hand mixer.
Add ground almonds and flour and knead to a firm dough.
Divide the dough into quarters and form four rolls, each one about 2 to 3cm (0,78 zo 1,18 inch) thick. Cover the rolls with cling wrap and place them in the refrigerator for about an hour.
Dust your counter top with some flour and cut the rolls into slices (about as thick as a finger) and form little crescents.
Put the Vanillahörnchen on a greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet,
Bake at 160°C / 320°F in a pre-heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove the Vanillahörnchen carefully and place them on a cooling rack.
Fill the icing sugar into a small bowl and dust the Vanillahörnchen while they are still warm.
Let the cookies cool completely on a cooling rack and enjoy with a nice cup of coffee or a glass of Glühwein.
Thank you for looking
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