I have tried many other flavors, but the traditional anise flavor is still my very favorite. Growing up, it never occured to me to have anything but anise springerle, but when I became the family baker of springerle, I discovered that anise was not a universally loved cookie flavor. My husband thought the cookies beautiful, but would not even partake of a nibble; my children followed suit. So I indulged my springerle passion and shipped the tins off to more appreciative audiences. I at last discovered that other flavors could be substituted with great sucess. Now I regularly make the lemon, orange and almond flavors. I have made raspberry springerle and backed them with chocolate; also the orange and chocolate is a delicious combination. I came up with a wonderful cappicino flavor - coffee extract and cinnamon - which makes a dark springerle delicious with coffee. These options, while not traditional, please many who would otherwise only look at their springerle cookies. When trying flavor options, remember that oils are much stronger than extracts and fruit oils are not as potent as anise and almond oils. Finely grated orange or lemon rind enhances the flavor of anise. I will continue to try additional flavor combinations, because I just can’t seem to stop myself. I’ve even converted some anise haters into anise enjoyers. And I take such pleasure in sharing springerle with any and everyone!
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I would love the recipes for the non-anise cookies. Even though anise is my favorite, I have friends and family who would like other flavors.
Here are some other springerle flavor ideas.
Replace the anise oil with the following flavorings:
Orange - Use 3 to 4 teaspoons orange oil and 2 teaspoons of finely grated ornage rind (use a microplane) .
Lemon - Use 3 to 4 teaspoons Lemon oil and 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind (use a microplane).
Almond - Use 1/2 teaspoon almond oil.
Cappuccino - Use 2 Tablespoons Coffee extract and 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon. You may also add 2 teaspoons of grated orange rind to this.
The orange and cappuccino flavors are great with chocolate painted on the backs! Yum!
Do you have any suggestions for those of us living at high altitudes? I live at an altitude of 7,000 feet in a semi-arid climate (humidity 5-25% most days) and would like to make the Springerle recipe on the site, using the six-pointed star mold. Thank you!
Hi Connie-
I just discovered cookie molds as I spotted the cookies on Martha Stewarts latest magazine. I must have had my head in the sand…anyway. I found your blog and the House on the Hill site and love what I see. Can you tell me what mold you used on the fall cookie platter? I am interested in the square, darker cookie. Not the double acorn or the turkey. It is a very ornate almost floral design, but I did not see it on the web site.
Also, the recipie you are discussing on you blog for the anise cookies, is that in the cookbook that comes with a $35.00 order? It sound wonderful and I would love to try it!
Thanks for your time- Have a great Thanksgiving!
Connie: My parents also ran into the same situation with my sister and I not liking the anise flavor. They used lemon and cherry oils and also tinted them with food coloring to match i.e. red for the cherry and green for the lemon. They left the anise ones white. This made it easier for children to pick the flavor they liked.
Hi Connie,
I’m baking springerle cookies right now from your recipe printed in the Ann Arbor News a week or so ago. I have a question. I can’t figure out when they are done. The molds are small (about 150 cookies from the recipe). I baked one for about 40 minutes at 200. Then tried 250 (they got puffy). Now I have them at 225. They are not turning golden or anything on the bottom. My old recipe resulted in a very hard cookie with half the flavor of yours.
Are these supposed to be hard, or cake like, or how would you describe them? I have never used bakers ammonia before so I am not sure what to expect.
Thank you!!!
Aloha!
The recipe I have used for years has you put the cut out springerle onto a baking sheet or board, lightly cover, and dry overnight. The next day, you dust the flour from the back of the cookies, lightly brush the bottoms with cold water, and place on a greased cookie sheet to bake. The result is a puffy cookie, with the imprint still firm. The family calls these “pillow cookies”.
Is this an authentic technique? I have never made them any other way.
Thank you!
Erin - I hope some people jump in to discuss the high altitude question.
Virginia - Love the color/flavor idea!!!!
Carol, I always describe springerle as a dry dense cake-like cookie. A small springerle baked at a very low temperature will remain very white and that’s okay, in fact a traditional springerle is meant to be very white. The baker’s ammonia creates a softer texture than baking powder.
Mahina - see the post”Mushroom Springerle”
Springerle and Peppernuts will always be the tasted of Christmas for me!
Mom K
LOL - The first time I made springerle (using the hornbook mold), my mother-in-law, who is German, saw them on the counter and said, “Oh! You made springerl!!” I was so pleased that she knew exactly what I’d made just by looking at them, but then I was greatly disappointed when she picked one up, took a bite, and grimaced. She placed the cookie back on her napkin and said, “Oh. Those are not springerle.” It turns out, I had used almond flavoring, and she told me she had only ever heard of springerle made with anise. Oops! I’ll be sure to try them with anise next time, and maybe I’ll earn back some brownie (er… springerle?) points.
Paulette
Vanille is a great flavour. Most people around here don’t like the anise either.
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