Christmas Baking
Alsatian Butterbredele: Simple Butter Cutouts From a Few Basic Ingredients, Baked in Just 10 Minutes
Tender Alsatian butter cookies (Butterbredele) from a simple five-ingredient dough, cut into Christmas shapes.
NutritionApproximate, per serving
Instructions
Put the flour, sugar, vanilla extract (or vanilla sugar) and salt in a large bowl. Mix briefly.
Add the softened butter, cut into cubes. Quickly work the ingredients into crumbs with your hands.
Add the whole egg and keep kneading.
The dough should come together. If it is still too crumbly and falls apart, add a tablespoon or two of cold water. Knead until smooth.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll the chilled dough out on a floured surface to a thickness of about 1/6 inch (4 mm).
Cut out Christmas shapes (stars, trees) and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes.
Watch the cookies closely. They should stay pale, with only the edges starting to turn lightly golden.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet, where they firm up slightly.
- Chill the dough: Do not skip chilling. A buttery dough is much easier to work with once cold, it does not stick, and the cutouts hold their shape.
- Do not overbake: The key to tender cookies is a short bake. As soon as the edges take on color, take them out. They keep firming up on the hot sheet. If they brown, they turn hard.
- Chocolate bredele: Once cooled, dip the tips of the cookies in melted dark chocolate.
- Jam sandwiches: Sandwich two matching baked cookies with a favorite jam, for example red currant.