Thought some “newbys” to springerle baking might need a quick rundown of the most common mistakes:
- Not letting the cookies dry long enough resulting in less distinct impressions. The cookies will taste fine, but will not be as pretty.
- Rolling the dough too thickly, resulting in a cookie that rises too much and overpuffs the imprinted design.
- Rolling the dough too thinly, resulting in a springerle that is very hard.
- Overbaking the cookies until they are rocks
It’s true that molded cookies are by no means the easiest cookies to make, but if you read every entry in this blog, many of your questions will be answered. I do find that just when I think I have answered every possible concern, another question pops up, so I’ll just keep at it. I almost always learn something new every day and that is a good thing!
And remember….it’s only a cookie! Your cookie baking should be fun! It will take a few batches to perfect your skill.
Connie
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
What happened to the Gluten-free Springerle recipe? When I click on it , it says the page is unavailable. Please send it to me. I am gluten-free and anxious to try and make some cookies.
Could you please advise me about the special baker’s ammonia? Is it supposed to make the cookies tender? Gluten-free cookies are very tender as a general rule. In fact, they will crumble apart instead of becoming stale and hard.
You say not to roll the dough to thick or too thin, so what exactly is ‘just about right?’
I’m new to this and want to be a smashing success. Thanks for your help.
Hi, Michele. I just baked my second batch of Springerle this morning. I, too, grew up with my grandmother and aunt making them — one from each my mother and father’s sides of the family — one using anise oil, one seed. I do not live at a high elevation, but read this and thought I would pass it onto you: http://www.springerlecookies.com/2009/04/help-high-altitude-springerle-baking/ . I live by House on the Hill info and tips when it comes to these cookies! I do love using the Hartshorn.
Thanks for your wonderful site – I first made the oval rose Springerle cookies for a baby shower this summer, and now have made some chocolate ones for Christmas. They are beautiful on a plate, and taste delicious, but I have found that the bottoms never seem “done” (they still look wet) even when the consistency of the cookie is cake-like and otherwise perfect. I have tried variations of temperature and rack position in the oven but feel like in order to fully cook the bottoms, the cookies end up over-baked and hard. So I wonder…is it normal for them to look darker/wet on the bottom, and if not, any tips on how to fix this?
Thanks so much, and Merry Christmas!
I have the same problem and question as Jennifer. Please help.
Thanks!
Hi Kelly,
Apparently the link to the gluten free was broken and has now been fixed. Sorry for the trouble.
Baker’s Ammonia is the traditional leavening ingredient in Springerle cookies. Read my bolg my entry about baker’s ammonia. It will make springerle cookies softer than baking powder. Another advantage to baker’s ammonia is that the leavening reacts primarily to heat rather than liquid or acid, which is good for a cookie that needs to dry for 24 hours before baking.
In general, you should roll the springerle dough about 1/2 inch thick, but may need to adjust that thickness if the mold is carved very deeply(roll dough thicker) or shallowly (roll dough thinner). Because there is no standardization to these historic molds, every mold will be different. That being said, when the cookie is pressed, the thinest parts of the cookie should be at least 1/4 inch thick and the thickest parts should be no thicker than 3/4 inch. If they are too thick there will be too much rising, ruining the print and if they are too thin, they will be too hard after they are baked.
Have fun baking!
Connie
Hi Michele,
Have you tried reducing the leavening? Or eliminating it altogether? At 7000 ft, I just don’t have the experience, but I know that you need to use less leavening. Maybe in the case of springerle the eggs will do all the leavening. Using 1 less egg may help too??? I see I have several comments from about 4000 ft. Let me know so we can share the info with other “elevated” bakers.
Best,
Connie
We have just tried the sprinerles for the first time with ‘fair’ results for an intial effort. Our first question is about drying…what is the best method ( on parchment, cooling rack, cookie sheet ), ???
Also, we rolled the dough 3/8″ thick and the pillowing resulted in cracking of the design, eventhough we tried different temps and cooling times. We may try 1/4 ” thick next time unless you have another suggestion.
A lot of work and even more fun. Thanks for yor help.
Barb
hello
I have been making them for some years and this year I had cookies that
had a lot of cracking. I have been baking them at 300 for 20 min.
I did everything the same but every one was cracked they taste great.
had to keep them all for myself this year. what can i do not to have this happen.
I have had the good fortune of being able to sell springerle in a local gift boutique. Apparently they are as new to everyone here as they are myself. Sold enough this past Christmas, we are going to give it a shot again at Valentines and Easter.
To make it more profitable, it is better for me to create a large batch at once (about 12 to 18 eggs worth). What I was wondering is how long a batch of unmolded dough can last in the fridge or freezer. I didn’t have the chance to mold all the dough I had made at the time, I wrapped it well, tossed it in the fridge to complete the next day or so and forgot it. Well, heck. So I threw it out and was mad at myself for wasting it. How long, if at all, can it last? If so, what is the best way to package it to protect it in the fridge / freezer?
Best regards,
Tiffany
Hi Tiffany,
So glad you were successful in making the cookies!
If you have the equipment, make the batch as large as you can. You can store the dough tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and then in zip lock bags or plastic containers for several days (2-3 days). You can divide the dough into managable portions for forming the cookies. It is important to keep the dough from drying so no crust begins to form, so sealing tightly is critical.
Best baking,
Connie
I have problems with jagged edges after imprinting some of my molds. many shapes cannot be imprinted then cut out with a cookie cutter. I have tried using a pastry wheel and a sharp knife but the sides are still not smooth. Any suggestions? Also, how do I get on the mailing list for your blog? When I hit Subscribe, I only get linked to past blogs. Thanks. By the way, I live in Switzerland and have found many old molds incredibly cheap at second-hand shops.
Hey Amy,
It is best if you can use a tool that allows you to push straight down and pull straight up. When I don’t use a cutter, I like to use sharp edged dough scraper with a down and up motion, not a pulling motion. Of course, this works only for straight edged designs. For other shapes that have no corresponding cutter, use a sharp exacto knife for nice clean cuts. Try not to “pull” at the dough as you cut it.
happy Baking!
Connie
Dry the cookies on parchment paper. Drying the cookies on a cookie rack will dry the cookies on the bottom too much. Watch my video on the website http://www.houseonthehill.net to see how the bottom of the cookies should look when the cookies have dried for 24 hours.
connie
Hi Barb,
Cracking often happens when you have kneaded too much additional flour into the dough. Also I would suggest that you roll the cookies thicker, not thinner. Really thin springerle will bake very quickly and cause cracking. Make sure you dry them 24 hours. I do not know your conditions (humidity, outdoor temperature, size of cookies, etc.) so can not say for sure what the solution will be.
Connie
Jeffery, too much added flour is probably the issue here, but I would need more information to say for sure.
Connie
Hello Connie,
Love your Youtube video and huge assortment of molds! I see pictured a carrot cake that’s had the cream cheese (?) frosting imprinted with the lovely floral scroll rolling pin. Or is that marzipan on a cake? If it’s cream cheese, what recipe did you use that lent itself so beautifully to the rolling pin design? Mine is too sticky by a long shot. Also, here in Seattle we get precious few dry days and I’d heard I could roll out the dough and freeze it for a day before imprinting and for another day after imprinting and cutting to hold the design (rather than room drying). Any success with this method?
Good Morning from Suffolk, VA.
I have just purchased the Stuttgart Nativity and am looking forward to using it. This is an exceptionally large mold and would like your recommendation on a baking temperture and approximate length of baking time. Thanks for all your help, I love baking with your molds!
Marjorie
I use a a basic recipe, this year the dough did not come together well. It seen to fall apart and require a lot of kneading to keep it together.
It was difficult to use the rolling pin to see the imprints. any ideas of what was wrong?
Sounds like too much flour, but without seeing your recipe, it is so hard to know. You may have left out an ingredient or inadvertently mismeasured???
Connie
When baking my Springerles if have problems with the cookie wanting to tilt as it is baked. I am not using your recipe. I have been using a press and pressing the cookie to about 3/8 in thickness. I bake the cookies at 300 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. I have tried both lowest shelf and the middle of the oven when baking. I use regular heat. I have increased the heat to no more than 325 (abt 10 minutes) and lower to about 275 (longer time). Not all the cookies tilt but about 50% of them will do this. My recipe uses Baking power, powdered sugar and cake flour. I let them set overnight for 8-10 hrs. I uncovered them for the first hour and later cover with light towel for remaining hours. I am using parchment paper.
Thank you Carol
Love your springerle molds, Connie. I have a question about baking. I dry the cookies overnight on parchment, then bake without removing them from the parchment. The impression is lovely and the cookies are tasty. However it seems like the bottom of the cookie stays a bit moist/soft, LONG after the rest of the cookie is done. I suspect I’m overcooking but don’t know how to speed the process. Any suggestions?
Help! Cookies dried for 10 hrs. They are the little edelweiss, I made them 5mm thick. Before baking, backs had a little moist spot. I baked At 325 for 12 minutes. The bottoms were golden, but the tops were a little puffed. I’ve never tasted these cookies before, so I think they were a little hard. I have about 50 more cookies (different design) so before I have another go at it any advice for me. Used your recipe
Thanks
Hi Connie,
My mom and I are making cookies for my wedding, which is on April 6. We made a batch around feb 15 or so and they are getting bit crunchy now. Was that too soon to make them? Any advice on keeping them somewhat soft is much appreciated , or better yet, a good timeline as to when to make a new batch.
Best,
Sara
Oh dear, Sarah, I hope you had a happy wedding. Yes, February 15 was too early. In general, I would suggest 4 weeks in advance. And of course, do’t over bake them! Keeping them soft also is aided by storing the cookies correctly in tins with tight fitting lids. Sorry I missed the boat on this answer! connie
Hi Carol,
The cookies have just not dried enough to from a crust, which sets the pattern. I suggest a 24 hour drying time uncovered the whole time. Of course, I do not have your recipe, or it’s instructions , but that just isn’t enough drying time.
Connie
Connie, Very interested to try your recipe. In the past only used my Grandmother’s (4 eggs, 4 c granulated sugar no leavening, 4 c. all purpose flour, no flavoring oil only anise seed on cookie sheets). Always chancy, watch the weather etc. and the recipe called for too high a heat (350). My Uncle recommended 300°. Thanks for your blog and tips. Today, I’m baking some for my wedding, the samples were too puffy, with 300° cracked, tried 285°, 235° now 225° for 25 minutes. Rolled some .25″, next time will try less Hartzhorn, or perhaps none ( ?) I beat the eggs for 25 min with the wisk attachment then shifted to the paddle to add the cake flour. Anything to do now that I’ve rolled and pressed 5 doz. still to bake? Thanks, Robert
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