springerle

Definition: [SPRING-uhr-lee;
SHPRING-uhr-luh] One of Germany's
most famous Christmas sweets, the
anise-flavored springerle are beautiful
embossed cookies that originated
centuries ago in the German duchy of
Swabia. The embossed designs on the
cookie's surface are formed with a
special carved wooden rolling pin,
which, when rolled over the dough, imprints it
decoratively. Alternatively, the dough can be pressed
into a carved cookie mold. Once the dough is
imprinted with the design, the cookies are allowed to
sit out at room temperature overnight. This allows the
dough's surface to dry so the design will remain as the
cookie bakes.