Springerle

Appears in
Oxford Companion to Food

By Alan Davidson

Published 2014

  • About

Springerle pale, brittle biscuits, shaped in wooden moulds which are often quite elaborate, originated in the German province of Swabia as early as the 15th century. They were formerly baked to mark various holy days, but more recently became Christmas specialities.

Springerle are made from eggs beaten with sugar, with flour added to make a stiff dough, and flavoured with (usually) rum and aniseed. The dough is rolled out and the moulds pressed down on it to make the raised pattern (knights on horseback, lambs, rabbits, etc.). The moulds are removed and the shaped dough is allowed to rest and dry out for up to 24 hours, ensuring a smooth, unfissured surface when the biscuits are finally baked. After baking the biscuit has an underside which is slightly grainy, and a smooth white upper surface, which in former times was often painted in colour.