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These charming cookies are popular throughout Germany at Christmastime. To add authenticity, brush them with an egg-white glaze and sprinkle them with coarse decorating sugar.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg white beaten with 2 teaspoons of water for glaze
(optional)
Coarse decorating sugar (optional; available at stores that sell cake decorating supplies)
Directions
In a medium-size bowl, stir the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer set at medium-high speed to beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and then the vanilla extract.
In 3 additions, beat in the flour mixture, mixing well after each addition.
Divide the dough in half and form each half into a log that is about 6 inches long. Wrap each log in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.
It can be refrigerated overnight, but you may need to warm up the dough a little bit with your hands to soften it.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter several baking sheets. Remove 1 log from the refrigerator and cut it into 12 slices that are each about 1/2-inch thick. On a countertop, roll each piece into a rope that is about 12 inches long.
Form the dough into a pretzel on a prepared baking sheet, pressing the ends firmly onto the loop. Repeat the process with the remaining pieces of dough, leaving 1 inch between the cookies.
If desired, lightly brush the cookies with the egg-white glaze and sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cookies are set. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and cool for 2 to 4 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to the wire rack and cool completely.
When cool, store the cookies in an airtight container.
Makes about 24 cookies.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg white beaten with 2 teaspoons of water for glaze
(optional)
Coarse decorating sugar (optional; available at stores that sell cake decorating supplies)
Directions
In a medium-size bowl, stir the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer set at medium-high speed to beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and then the vanilla extract.
In 3 additions, beat in the flour mixture, mixing well after each addition.
Divide the dough in half and form each half into a log that is about 6 inches long. Wrap each log in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.
It can be refrigerated overnight, but you may need to warm up the dough a little bit with your hands to soften it.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter several baking sheets. Remove 1 log from the refrigerator and cut it into 12 slices that are each about 1/2-inch thick. On a countertop, roll each piece into a rope that is about 12 inches long.
Form the dough into a pretzel on a prepared baking sheet, pressing the ends firmly onto the loop. Repeat the process with the remaining pieces of dough, leaving 1 inch between the cookies.
If desired, lightly brush the cookies with the egg-white glaze and sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cookies are set. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and cool for 2 to 4 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to the wire rack and cool completely.
When cool, store the cookies in an airtight container.
Makes about 24 cookies.
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