23 Deliciously Decadent German Christmas Cookies

When it comes to Christmas, there is nothing better than whipping up a delicious batch of cookies to ring in the festive season. 

Some of the most delicious cookies in the world are German Christmas cookies, often featuring robust, festive flavors that are the perfect treat to serve up at a Christmas party or a festive family get-together. 

With this in mind, we are going to be looking at twenty-three decadent German Christmas cookies that are delicious and easy to bake, making for a great treat this holiday season. Let’s get started. 

1. Zimtsterne (Cinnamon Star Cookies)

This traditional German recipe for star-shaped cinnamon cookies combines cinnamon with cardamom, cloves, star anise, and fennel seeds to create a nutty and spiced biscuit that exudes the taste of Christmas. 

Zimtsterne are topped off with sweet icing, which combines beautifully with the nuttiness of the cookies, whilst the star shapes make them an aesthetically pleasing choice of cookie for Christmas as well. 

2. Kirsch-Marziplan Plätzchen (Cherry Jam, Almond, And Marzipan Cookies)

These next cookies are sure to be pleasing for those who enjoy combinations of sweet and nutty flavors, thanks to the main ingredients being jam, almonds, and marzipan. 

The Kirsch-Marzipan Plätzchen aren’t the easiest to make, needing some skill from the baker in order to get them just right.

However, the rewards that you will reap are definitely worth it thanks to the delicious and flavorsome nature of the cookies. 

3. Ingwerplätchen (Ginger Cookies)

Not to be confused with gingerbread cookies or ginger nut cookies, these cookies are ginger-flavored sugar cookies- with a similar taste to shortbread- that have a simple yet delicious taste. 

The cookies are gently spiced with ginger, whilst the crumbly and soft texture makes for a pleasing cookie on many levels. 

4. Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Crescent Cookies)

Made with ground nuts to make for a nutty and tender cookie that will melt in your mouth, the Vanillekipferl is named as such due to the star of the show for the recipe: the powdered vanilla dust that is sprinkled on the top. 

These cookies are known for their crescent shapes and the aforementioned heavy dusting of vanilla sugar, offering a unique look as well as a unique taste. 

5. Spritzgebäck (Spritz Cookies)

German spritz cookies are a well-known holiday treat that is not only light and sweet with a unique design- in an “S” shape- and texture. 

The Spritzgebäck cookies are also easy to make, and only need a few ingredients such as eggs, butter, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder. 

If you want a chocolate glaze for your cookies, you will also need some chocolate chips that you can melt down. 

6. Springerle (Anise Cookies)

Another classic German Christmas cookie, the Springerle is flavored with anise and tends to be embossed with a certain design that is imprinted onto the cookies with special wooden molds. 

These kinds of cookies are also particularly easy to make, only needing a few ingredients, those being anise seeds, flour, confectioners sugar, eggs, and flour. 

If you enjoy the taste of anise, then these cookies are a must-try. 

7. Lebkuchen (Gingerbread Cookies)

Lebkuchen are arguably the most popular kind of German Christmas cookie, with gingerbread cookies being a household name in the cookie world across the globe. 

Gingerbread stems back to the 14th century in Nuremberg- Germany- and is a quintessential German treat to indulge in during the holiday season. 

8. Kardamom Plaetzchen (Cardamom Cookies)

Cardamom is an ingredient used in Christmas baking in Germany for generations, which is why these cardamom cookies are such a popular choice during the holiday season.

The cookies are simply made, featuring dough that has been lightly spiced with cardamom before they are rolled into log-like shapes before being sliced up and baked. 

The cardamom gives them a somewhat floral aroma, with a little bit of saltiness to the taste.

Once baked, the cookies are dipped into a kind of decorative chocolate called chocolate couverture, with the sweetness blending well with the aromatic saltiness of the cardamom. 

9. Kaiser-Plätzchen (Jam-Filled Cookies)

These jam-filled and star-shaped Christmas cookies are delicious and are sure to be a pleasing choice of Christmas cookie for kids thanks to their shape. 

You can also create rounded versions of these cookies with the same recipe, but they are known as Spitzbuben or Little Rouges in English. 

The simple yet sweet taste of vanilla with raspberry or strawberry jam makes for a great holiday cookie. 

10. Haselnussmakronen (Hazelnut Macarons)

If macarons are more your cookie of choice, then these Haselnussmakronens are sure to be a delightful festive treat. 

These macarons have all of the sweetness and warmth often associated with Christmas treats. 

The nuttiness of the hazelnuts also combines perfectly with the soft macaron fluffiness and the crunchy texture, making for a uniquely delicious Christmas cookie. 

11. Pfeffernüsse (Spiced And Iced Cookies)

Another highly popular Christmas cookie, the Pfeffernüsse is the perfect combination of sweet icing with spiced cookies to create a delicious festive snack. 

The Netherlands also has its own similar recipe, known as the Pepernoten and although the preparation method is different, they are both the same in terms of the recipe with a gingerbread-like spice commonly coated with sweet sugar icing. 

Pfeffernüsse translates to “pepper nuts”, which refers to the white pepper that is included in the dough, offering a flavorful touch. The nut element of the name simply refers to the walnut-like shape. 

12. Heidesand (Browned Butter Shortbread Cookies)

These traditional German cookies are made with brown butter and are pretty simple yet highly delicious. 

These shortbread cookies have a delicious taste as well as a fantastic texture, but they are also versatile enough to have a range of variations. 

Some of the more contemporary takes on the cookies include adding rosemary, candied ginger, or candied orange peel. 

13. Butterplatzchen (Butter Cookies)

The Butterplatzchen has a lot of similarities to the standard American sugar cookie, but the main difference is the icing, which is made up of a simple and sweet meringue glaze. 

The glaze is spread onto the butter cookies before baking and is made up of the usual meringue ingredients, those being powdered sugar and egg whites. 

You can also include some sprinkles for decoration, but make sure to put them on before you bake them so that they will effectively stick to the glaze. 

14. Bethmännchen (Marzipan Cookies)

These authentic German marzipan cookies are another sweet treat that you are sure to find a lot of during Christmastime in Germany thanks to their delicious nature. 

Bethmännchen is up there with Lebkuchen as one of the most beloved Christmas cookies thanks to their firm exterior and their deliciously chewy interior, as well as the studs of almonds to be found scattered through the cookies. 

For a proper German Christmas, you need to get yourself some Bethmännchen to enjoy alongside your Lebkuchen!

15. Engels-Plätzchen (Angel Cookies)

Simple, sweet, and packed full of flavor, the Engels-Plätzchen is a must for lovers of almonds as they are the main event here. 

Featuring both blanched almonds and ground almonds, these cookies are a great choice for bakers who want a cookie recipe that is quick and easy to make. 

16. Elisenlebkuchen (Glazed Gingerbread Cookies)

This next recipe is a take on the classic Lebkuchen, but they are made into glazed and rounded cookies. 

Elisenlebkuchen are flourless cookies that are covered with a glaze that is either plain, made of sugar or chocolate. 

The spice of the gingerbread with the sweetness of the glaze makes for a brilliant combination of flavors and texture. 

17. Kokosmakronen (Coconut Macaroons)

The chewy and soft nature of the Kokosmakronen make for a sweet treat at Christmas in Germany. 

These cookies can be made with just three ingredients, those being fresh shredded coconut, egg whites, and sugar, making them one of the easiest cookies on this list. 

They are not made with condensed milk, as the American coconut macaroons are. 

18. Spekulatius (Spice Cookies)

Another kind of cookie that is popular in the Netherlands- where they are called spekulaas-, the Spekulatius cookies, are traditionally made with molds. 

The best way to emphasize the spice flavor of the cookies is to allow the dough to sit overnight before you begin to roll, cut, and bake them. 

The species used in this particular recipe include cardamom, cinnamon, and ground cloves. 

19. Zitronenherzen (Lemon Heart Cookies)

If lemon is your flavor of choice, then these lemon heart cookies are sure to be a treat!

Also known as Zitronenherzen, these cookies are traditionally eaten around the holiday period in Germany and are a great way to bring some visual appeal into your seasonal treats thanks to the heart shape. 

20. Stollen Cookies

Based on the German Christmas bread that is stollen- bread baked with a blend of fruits, spices, nuts, and candied fruit along with icing or powdered sugar and marzipan- these cookies condense the dense bread recipe into these delicious and easy to eat cookies. 

This recipe features brandy in which the fruit within the cookies is soaked, but you can easily replace this with apple juice to create an alcohol-free take on the recipe. 

21. German Linzer Christmas Cookies

Similar to the Kaiser-Plätzchen, Linzer cookies are thin and crispy treats that are buttery and dusted with powdered sugar. 

The main event when it comes to this cookie recipe has to be the sweet jam filling, though, as it blends perfectly with the crispy texture and the sweetness of the powdered sugar.  

You can use any kind of jam for this filling, including any currant jam or apricot jam. 

22. Terrassen Kekse (Raspberry Jam Cookies)

Combining the soft, butteriness of shortbread with tart and tasty raspberry jam, the Terrassen Kekse is a German Christmas delight.

These cookie stacks feature layers of shortbread cookies and raspberry jam before being topped off with sweet powdered sugar. 

23. Almond Horns (Mandelhörnchen)

German Mandelhörnchen is another type of German cookie that is a must-try for lovers of almonds, featuring almond paste filling. 

The chewy and dense cookies are also dipped in chocolate, which pairs with the almond nuttiness perfectly. 

Not only are these Christmas cookies delicious, but they are also vegan-friendly, paleo-friendly, and gluten-free, making for a cookie that is well-suited for those with a wide range of dietary requirements. 

Are any of the Hanukkah cookie recipes suitable for people with dietary restrictions or allergies?

Are any of the Hanukkah cookie recipes suitable for people with dietary restrictions or allergies? Finding tasty hanukkah cookie recipes that cater to dietary restrictions or allergies can be challenging. However, there are numerous options available, including gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free recipes. These alternatives ensure that everyone can enjoy the festive treats during Hanukkah without compromising their health or dietary needs.

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Final Thoughts

So there you have twenty-three delicious and easy-to-make German Christmas cookies that are sure to make a stir this festive season. 

No matter what your personal tastes are in terms of cookies, you are sure to find a German cookie that you will love from our extensive list.