Orange Springerles

 

Family Heirloom

 

Carolyn Gass Hardimon

Wife of Raymond Michael 

 Mother of Joseph, Michael, Jacob & Sarah

Grandmother of Haley, Amelia, Michael, & Mia

 

 Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

 Family and Consumer Science, M. S. - Teacher 43 years

 

“Springerle cookies are shaped with a rolling pin or mold used to stamp designs onto the cookies!”

 

4     large eggs

1     pound confectioners’ sugar

1     teaspoon baking powder

2     teaspoons orange juice

1     teaspoon orange zest

3     cups all-purpose flour

1     teaspoon pure anise extract

       Anise seeds

       Flour

 

Beat eggs until thick and lemon colored using an electric mixer, about 10 minutes.  Gradually add sugar, orange juice and zest and continue beating for another 10 minutes.  Add baking powder, anise oil and 2 cups of flour.

When mixture becomes a soft dough, work in remaining flour.  Divide dough into thirds and cover each with plastic wrap.  Place dough, rolling pins, molds, pastry board and cutter in refrigerator for 3 hours.  Anytime between 3 and 24 hours, remove the dough and equipment from the refrigerator.  Sprinkle pastry board and rolling pins with flour.

Using a standard rolling pin, roll out the dough to ¼ -inch thickness.  Using the springerle rolling pin, primly press imprint into the dough.  Cut cookies apart with a pie trimmer or knife.  Using a spatula, place on a lightly floured cookie sheet, cover with a tea towel or wax paper and let dry for at least 12 hours at room temperature. 

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325-degrees.  Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Lightly sprinkle on anise seeds.  Place cookies on cookie sheet and bake until pale yellow in color, about 15 to 18 minutes.  Bake only one cookie sheet at a time.  Remove cookies and dry on a wire cooling rack.  Place cookies in an airtight container with wax paper between layers and mellow for 2 weeks. 

Yield:  3 dozen.   

 

Carolyn Gass Hardimon, M. S.     Home Economist