My Christmas cookie education began many years ago when my German friend Susanne invited me over for a pre-silly season cuppa and a chat at her house. Alongside the pot of steaming tea sat a large tin chockfull with a delightful array of smallish buttery, spice-laden cookies of many types – Susanne’s Weihnachtsplätzchen, or selection of traditional Christmas cookies.
It was the first time I had come across this lovely tradition of offering guests a selection of special biscuits during the holiday season – which is similar to the Swedish 7 Sorters Kakor (seven kinds of cookies) – and I instantly fell in love with the idea.
Indeed, there are many festive baking traditions the world over, each with a story to tell. Many of the European tales originate during the Middle Ages when exotic spices, such as cinnamon, ginger, black pepper and nutmeg, along with almonds, sugar and vanilla, were introduced from the East by the Crusaders.
Gingerbread, now synonymous with the festive period in many cultures, began as a crude combination of breadcrumbs, honey and spices that was stamped with religious designs and baked into hard slabs.
Over time the recipes became more refined and directly associated with Christmas rituals, and now numerous European countries have their own highly spiced gingerbread cookies, including from Germany, from Holland, from Scandinavia, piernicki from Poland and from Norway.
1. Pfeffernüsse (spice cookies)
Spice cookies (pfeffernüsse) Source: China Squirrel
Speculaas Source: China Squirrel
3. Almond cookies (spritzgebäck)
Almond cookies (spritzgebäck) Source: China Squirrel
Chocolate and almond spice cookies (basler brunsli) Source: China Squirrel
German jam cookies (spitzbuben) Source: China Squirrel
Or creating gorgeous edible decorations for the house like these Polish honey-rye heart-shaped cookies, .
Polish gingerbread (pierniczki) Source: China Squirrel
Photography, styling and food preparation by China Squirrel.
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