Hi! Meet your new friends, German Christmas cookies. These are the chocolatey, spicy, crunchy, and chewy holiday treats that are so delicious, so fun to make, and also… sometimes hard to pronounce. That’s right!
But we are here for it. Let’s stop talking and get right to the recipes!
1. Heidesand (Traditional German Browned Butter Shortbread Cookies)
This is my go-to for a classic shortbread. And you guys, you can make 60 cookies in just 30 minutes! If you are here for that warm, buttery shortbread flavor, then this is the recipe for you.
I’m just telling you, they might be the most buttery shortbread cookies you’ll ever try. So ridiculously good!
2. Stollen
If you’ve never had stollen, you NEED to be trying it. Seriously, right away. That combination of sweet and tart is just unmatched. We’re talking icing sugar, marzipan, dried sour cherries, and mixed fruit all coming together.
They have this crinkly, crumbly look and a texture that is just a total crowd-pleaser. Soaking them in brandy makes the flavor so rich, but apple juice works too if that’s more your vibe!
3. German Lebkuchen
These are the classic! They are packed with chocolatey and nutty flavor, and they have a pretty darn short ingredient list (fewer than 10!). The whole thing comes together in just over 30 minutes.
Every single cookie gets covered in chocolate and is just loaded with nuts, spices, and candied fruit. YUM.
4. Vegan Nut Bars (Nussecken)
These vegan and dairy-free bars check all the boxes. They’re super crispy but also surprisingly moist! You get three distinct flavors: apricot jam, dark chocolate, and caramelized hazelnuts.
That sweet, salty, nutty combo is just an ON-POINT combo. It’s 45 minutes for a dozen, and they are so delicious and filling you won’t even need to go back for seconds (but you’ll want to!).
5. Authentic Bethmännchen (German Marzipan Cookies)
These chewy marzipan cookies are a fast favorite for the holidays. We’re talking 5 minutes of prep and only 15 to cook! You’ll add rose water for a lovely scent and a lightly floral taste.
Plus, those crunchy almonds add another whole level of flavor to an already awesome cookie. A total win!
6. Haselnussmakronen (German Hazelnut Macaroons)
Okay, so these might not look like the macaroons you’re used to, but that’s what they are! Hazelnut macaroons. They are gluten- and dairy-free, with a light flavor and a super simple recipe.
You just need four ingredients: hazelnuts, sugar, vanilla, and egg whites. They take a little over an hour, but they are worth every single second.
7. German Spritz Cookies (Spritzgebäck)
German spritz cookies, or spritzgebäck, are just some of the most interesting-looking cookies ever. You can make them into ‘S’ shapes, ‘I’ shapes, ‘O’ shapes… whatever you want!
My niece calls them “noodle cookies,” and I get it. They do look like oversized noodles twisted into funky shapes. Dip them in warm, melty chocolate for extra yumminess.
But with or without chocolate, they are exceptionally tasty.
8. Zimtsterne (German Cinnamon Star Cookies)
If you want to make these the traditional way, you’ll need some star cookie cutters. But let’s be real, they taste just as good no matter what shape they are!
They have a strong cinnamon and nut flavor, plus a really fun and tasty egg wash glaze. Bonus: you can make two dozen in about an hour. We can always get behind that.
9. Oatmeal Cookie Recipe (aka Haferflockenplätzchen)
These chunky oatmeal cookies are a little different from the ones you might be used to. For starters, you’ll add dried apricots and chopped almonds for some fruity, nutty goodness.
The texture is a bit different, too. But if you’re an oatmeal cookie fan and you’re down with a little tang from the apricots, you will definitely enjoy these.
10. German Potato Cookies
Potato cookies! I know, right? It sounds a little weird, but just trust me on this. If you’ve ever had potato candy, these are kind of similar.
But instead of whole potatoes and peanut butter, you’ll use potato starch, icing sugar, and either pandan, ube, or vanilla extract for color and flavor. They’re sweet, soft, and chewy.
You can even make them into different beautiful colors to be extra festive!
11. German Christmas Cardamom Cookies (Kardamon Plaetzchen)
Looking for something with a more interesting flavor? These salty and floral-like cookies could be the answer. The vanilla sugar, rum, and cardamom bring so many different flavors to the party.
And you can totally dip them in chocolate for extra decadence. YES.
12. Spekulatius
These are another classic shortbread cookie, but they have *way* more spice than your regular shortbread. You’ll flavor them with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cardamom, white pepper, salt, and more.
If that sounds like a lot of spice, you’re right! And that’s what makes them so, so good. As a bonus, your house is going to smell incredible while these are baking.
13. German Hazelnut Christmas Cookies
All you need for these are five ingredients, 30 minutes, and some snowflake cookie cutters. That’s it! With just butter, sugar, egg yolks, hazelnut flour, and regular flour, you can have these ready in no time.
The cookies are crumbly, nutty, and just really lovely.
14. No-Bake German Chocolate Cookie Cake
So technically, this is a no-bake *cake*, but you make it with lots of store-bought tea cookies and slice it into cookie-like rectangles. I think it fits perfectly on this list!
If you want something super simple, you can’t beat this. We’re talking 15 minutes, six ingredients, and zero cooking. They are rich and decadent with chocolate, rum, and powdered sugar. Always a total hit at a party.
15. Vanillekipferl (Blue Moon Crescent Cookies)
I just love these crunchy, powdered sugar-covered cookies! They have a lovely crescent shape and a mild, slightly nutty flavor with just a hint of vanilla. You only need seven ingredients.
Besides the dough chill time, it only takes 40 minutes to whip them up. Monday-night easy!
16. Toasted Hazelnut Meringue Kisses
These light and fluffy meringue cookies are some of the easiest you’ll ever make. I mean, only four ingredients!
They have a delicate nut and sugar flavor that will just delight your tastebuds. So good.
17. Authentic German Springerle
Springerle cookies are just plain fun. Their name means “little jumpers” because they tend to jump around in the oven! They have a lightly sweet, almost delicate flavor with notes of vanilla and anise.
You’ll use a fancy rolling pin to give them those gorgeous designs. In Germany, people serve these around Christmas and New Year’s, but honestly, you’ll love them so much you’ll want to make them all the time.
18. German Coconut Macaroons Recipe (Kokosmakronen)
If you’re a fan of coconut and cinnamon, these macaroons are such a great option. They’re chewy and have a fantastic texture, with just a little hint of crunchiness inside.
It only takes about 30 minutes to make 40 of them, so they’re perfect if you need to bake for a crowd in a hurry.
19. Pfeffernusse
These hard-to-pronounce cookies have a gorgeous white coating from powdered sugar, eggs, and honey.
They’re sweet, but that addition of cloves, all-spice, cinnamon, and white pepper makes them sharply spicy and so rich in flavor. A total flavor all-star!
20. German Walnut Shortbread Cookies
These are simple shortbread cookies with walnuts added in for crunch and taste. You can make them with just butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, flour, salt, sugar, and walnuts. That’s it!
If you’re a fan of shortbread, you are going to love these crunchy, buttery cookies. Big, big love for this.