Springerle are probably one of the most decorative biscuits: the delicately carved molds which are pressed onto the dough to leave the most intricate imprints have been around since the Middle Ages. Their subtle aniseed flavour makes them the perfect Christmas biscuit. In southern Germany in particular, Christmas cookies are an important part of the year, with every family baking around 6 to 10 different biscuits, often using closely-guarded family recipes. They are offered to visitors during Advent, the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, less to nourish them than to impress them with your baking skills.
<br />Springerle are one of the most difficult to make, but thanks to the hard work of my Mum and my Granny we have come up with a fail-safe formula to impress your visitors!
<br />Springerle are popular in Switzerland and in southern Germany, where they are called Springerle: in the Swabian dialect it means 'little jumpers,' in reference to the cookies 'jumping' up, leaving the much-desired little 'foot' at the bottom of the biscuit.
<br />We make these biscuits are the end of November and store them in a tin, taking out a few at a time. They might take a few days to soften, but the cookies will keep until Christmas!
<br />The biscuits take time and patience: they need to dry overnight and only time will tell whether they rise and soften - the latter can take up to a week! If you succeed, however, you are left with an amazing piece of baking history, as well as an impressive little cookie. And if they're too dry, simply use them to decorate your Christmas tree while giving it another go.

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