Three Swiss Christmas cookie recipes with air time (2024)

Christian

December 12, 2011

5 min read

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Three Swiss Christmas cookie recipes with air time (2)

Once the days get shorter and advent season has arrived, the bakers among us will dig out our favorite Swiss Christmas cookie recipes.

One of my favorite things of the holiday season is Christmas baking. There are so many delicious desserts to bake, from tasty pies to Christmas cookies. In Swiss German dialect, the biscuits are lovingly called Guetzli, Guetsli, or Chrömli.

While some cookies can be whisked up in no time, others require more patience. Here is a selection of favorite Swiss Christmas cookie recipes with one thing in common: these cookies need air time. That is, time for the dough to rest before baking. One thing to watch out for is people eating them before they’re baked. My dad is infamous for making these unbaked cookies disappear...

Swiss Christmas cookie recipes that require air time:

Zimtsterne Cinnamon Stars

Makes 50 cookies

3 fresh egg whites (100 g/3.5 oz)
pinch of salt
250 g (9 oz) confectioner's sugar
1.5 tablespoons of cinnamon
0.5 tablespoon of kirsch or lemon juice
350 g (12 oz) ground almonds

Zimtstern is not only the name of a skateboard fashion company, but it is the best Swiss Christmas cookie there is. Interestingly, this is also a very common cookie in German Jewish culture where it is called Erste Sternen and is served at the meal following Yom Kippur.

Instructions:

1. Stir white of egg and salt in a bowl until it is really stiff.
2. Add confectioner's sugar, stir until ingredients are evenly distributed. Put 1dl (0.4cups) aside for the frosting.
3. Add cinnamon, kirsch (or lemon juice) and almonds, knead to a soft dough.
4. Roll out dough on a flat surface (it may be slightly covered with sugar), approximately 7mm (0.3in) thick. Put out stars or other shapes and put them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper.
5. Let them rest for about 5 to 6hours or over night in a dry place.
6. Carefully sweep the cookies with the frosting set aside in step 2.
7. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees C.
8. Bake for about 3 to 5minutes in the center of the pre-heated oven.
9. Let cool completely before serving.

Brunsli, or Basler Brunsli

Makes 50 cookies

150 g (5 oz) sugar
pinch of salt
250 g (9 oz) ground almonds
0.25 tea spoons of cinnamon
pinch of powdered clove
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of flour
2 fresh egg whites (70 g/2.5 oz)
100 g (3.5 oz) bitter chocolate, i.e. Felchlin
2 tea spoons of kirsch

Right behind Zimtsterne are Brunsli, another one of my favorite Christmas cookies. One thing you’ll notice with all three cookies recipes is that you need to let them rest overnight before baking them. With Brunsli, this extra time makes the cookie that much better.

Instructions:

1. Mix sugar, salt, almonds, cinnamon, powdered clove, cocoa powder and flour in a bowl.
2. Add white of egg and stir until ingredients are evenly distributed.
3. Cut chocolate in real small pieces, pour hot water over the chocolate, let it rest for about 5 minutes. Then, pour off all the water except about half a tablespoon, stir until even. Now immediately proceed with the next step.
4. Add melted chocolate from the previous step and the kirsch, knead to a soft dough.
5. Roll out dough on a flat surface (it may be slightly covered with sugar), approximately 10 mm (0.4 in) thick. Put out different shapes and put them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper.
6. Let them rest for about 5 to 6 hours or over night in a dry place.
7. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees C.
8. Bake for about 4 to 6 minutes in the center of the pre-heated oven.
9. Let the rack cool completely before serving the cookies.

Chräbeli

Makes 60 cookies

4 eggs
450 g (16 oz) confectioner's sugar
pinch of salt
1.5 tablespoons of anise
1 tablespoon of kirsch
550 to 600 g (19-21 oz) flour

Chräbeli cookies are for those who are not nuts about nuts but who like absinthe, sambuca, and ouzo. These are special cookies in terms of their shape, but they go especially well with coffee. When you bake Chräbeli and they start to lift slightly on the bottom, it is said that they are growing feet. This is a good sign, no need to worry!

Instructions:

1. Put eggs, confectioner's sugar, salt, anise and kirsch in a bowl and stir about 5 minutes until well mixed.
2. Add in flour and mix it into a dough.
3. Form rolls of about 1.5 cm (0.6 in) diameter and cut in pieces of about 5 cm (2 in) length. Cut in each piece about 3 times slightly angular and bend them slightly.
4. Slightly grease baking sheets and put the rolls onto it to dry. Do not use baking paper sheets. Do not move the pieces.
5. Let them dry for 24 to 48 hours at room temperature. Make sure there is no draft.
6. Preheat the oven to 140 degrees C.
7. Bake for about 25 minutes in the lower part of the pre-heated oven. Keep the oven door slightly open.
8. Finally, let the cookies cool down, then remove them from the baking sheet using a spatula.

So, there you have it: three types of very Swiss Christmas cookies to get working on. If you prepare the dough on Friday evening after work, you’ll be able to bake them by Saturday afternoon, and enjoy them on Sunday! Yes, good things come to those who wait, as even these Swiss cookie recipes prove.

Check out even more Swiss Christmas cookie recipes:

5 Swiss cookie recipes you’ve probably never baked

“Spitzbuebe” are my favorite Swiss Christmas cookies, and here’s the recipe

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Three Swiss Christmas cookie recipes with air time (4)

Christian

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Three Swiss Christmas cookie recipes with air time (2024)

FAQs

How long before Christmas should you make Christmas cookies? ›

As for the cookies—made for cookie swaps, church potlucks, household snacking, and Santa's plate—there is one little cheat: make now, freeze for later. You'll find that most of your favorite Christmas cookie recipes can be made anywhere from a month to six months before the 25th of December.

What is the least popular Christmas cookie? ›

On the naughty list of cookies, Americans gave the lowest win records to anise cookies, which only won 29% of its matchups.

What was the first Christmas cookie? ›

History. Modern Christmas cookies can trace their history to recipes from Medieval Europe biscuits, when many modern ingredients such as cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, almonds and dried fruit were introduced into the west.

What is the 1 cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

What is the number one holiday cookie? ›

Peanut Butter Blossoms are America's favorite Christmas cookie, based both on total number of pageviews from the U.S. population as a whole, and number of states that ranked it as their top cookie (which is six, by the way).

Which Christmas cookies last the longest? ›

Shortbread cookies and spritz cookies are real holiday troopers, lasting a bit longer than the rest. These buttery and crumbly cookies are a great option for a holiday cookie. Shortbread is known for its rich flavor, while spritz cookies are often made with a cookie press.

How do you keep Christmas cookies crisp? ›

Keep those cookies crisp by storing them in an airtight container. Some people toss a piece of bread in with the cookies to help absorb any excess moisture.

Can you leave Christmas cookies out overnight? ›

Cookies left out overnight are at risk of microbial contamination, especially if they contain perishable ingredients like eggs or dairy. Harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella, can multiply rapidly in these conditions, potentially causing foodborne illness if consumed.

What is the most Googled Christmas cookie? ›

Italian Christmas Cookies grow as top cookie

Zoom in: Italian Christmas Cookies were the top cookie in 13 states, more than double the six states from 2022, Google Trends curator Katie Seaton told Axios. Seaton said the Italian cookies dominated the East Coast both this year and last year.

What is the most eaten cookie in the world? ›

Fun Facts News: What is the best-selling cookie in the world? Oreo cookies. Since the brand's inception in 1912, more than 450 billion Oreo cookies have been sold around the world, and are now available in more than 100 countries.

What is the most popular cookie in December? ›

What are the most popular Christmas cookies? Our survey found frosted sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies to be the most popular Christmas cookies in the country. They were the fan favorites in 39 states.

Which country invented Christmas cookies? ›

The First Christmas Cookies

Those who would like to take credit for the invention of the Christmas cookie will have to arm wrestle the Germans for it. They believe that Weihnachtsplätzchen, a term that refers specifically to cookies and broadly to holiday treats, encompasses the origin of Christmas baking.

What cookie was not invented until 1938? ›

I bet you didn't know that the American classic dessert, the chocolate chip cookie, wasn't invented until 1938. The chocolate chip cookie was created by Framingham State University alumna, Ruth Graves Wakefield in Whitman, Massachusetts at the Toll House Inn.

What Hallmark movie was the cookie recipe stolen? ›

Annie faces her first obstacle as CEO of Cooper's Cookies when grandma's secret recipe is stolen. While investigating the theft, she works with local baker Sam to recreate the beloved recipe.

What is Santa Claus's favorite cookie? ›

Chocolate Chip cookies

You can never go wrong with these classic, delicious cookies. Santa himself lists these as his favorites, and he prefers them soft and gooey with lots of chocolate chips. If you decide to leave these out for him, make sure there's a glass of cold milk nearby!

What is Santa's second favorite cookie? ›

2. Holiday Candy Cookie Bites – Number two on the list of Santa's favorite cookies is Holiday Candy Cookie Bites, which is a holiday version of the year-round favorite, Chocolate Chip Cookies. Instead of traditional chocolate chips, these cookies are studded with red and green candies and white baking chips.

What are the top 5 favorite cookies? ›

Some of the most popular cookie flavors include:
  • Chocolate chip.
  • Peanut butter.
  • Peanut butter blossoms.
  • Double chocolate chip.
  • Snickerdoodle.
  • Sugar.
  • Shortbread.
  • Pumpkin.

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