Updated December 2020
Here in Switzerland, the Christmas season doesn’t just begin with twinkling lights illuminating the cold dark streets and packed shelves stacked with festive fare. Another clear indication that December can’t be far off is when the local supermarkets fill their centre aisles with bulk packs of sugar, flour and butter, usually at discounted prices. It is time to ditch that no-sugar diet and ring in December and start baking Swiss Christmas cookies.
The Swiss take their Christmas cookies very seriously; there is even a song dedicated to the different types (check out the video below). And, yes, while you can buy perfectly acceptable Christmas cookies in the local supermarkets and bakers, and if I’m honest, I sometimes will too, there really is nothing like homemade.
We bake Christmas cookies in my extended Swiss family like we are participants in the Christmas Olympics. There are discussions on when we will start baking, which types we will be making this year and then we discuss the attempts at mixing up the traditional with a new ingredient. My Swiss mother-in-law has her cooking baking down to a fine art. Having years of practice she starts early, making the dough and freezing them early November knowing to pace herself over the weeks leading up to Christmas. She makes the same ones each year, cleverly bringing out small batches now and then over December. We aren’t quite sure where she hides them, but know that come January, she will still spoil us with one last of our favourites.
But first some tips
Before I share the list of traditional Swiss Christmas cookies, there are a couple of tips I would suggest to help make your cookie baking adventures a success:
- To get the perfectly evenly rolled cookie that reviles any bakery use the wooden sticks “Teighölzli“, one my essential Swiss kitchen gadgets.
- You can make most dough ahead of time and freeze it ready for when the mood for cookies strikes.
- Place cooked cookies in tins (there are so many cute ones to be found this time of year) or an airtight container and store in them in a cool/dry place. It is not unheard of for my mother-in-law to offer a “Spitzbub” close to my birthday in January. If they are stored correctly, they really can last that long.
- For those who want to skip the dough making and get straight to the baking, look out for pre-made cookie dough at the local supermarket.
Now without further delay, let me introduce you to Switzerland’s Christmas cookie favourites.
1. Zimtstern
Probably the most famous of the lot, Zimtsternen or Cinnamon Stars are my very favourite. These cookies are ones that I also don’t mind store-bought. Made of ground almonds, cinnamon and egg whites and topped with an egg white icing, the cookie is sometimes baked and sometimes airdried, depending on the recipe used. I use this German recipe from Betty Bossi, here is a similar one from Helvetic Kitchen. Tip: use a toothpick to spread out the glaze!
2. Spitzbuben
Two melt in your mouth butter cookies sandwiched together with homemade jam and dusted with powdered sugar. They look best when one half of the cookie sandwich has a decorative hole in the middle. Helvetic Kitchen has a recipe to try here. Tip: Make sure you choose a fruit flesh free jam, called Geleé here in Switzerland to keep the filling thin in between the sandwiched cookies.
3. Mailanderli
Think, butter cookie, with hints of citrus, glazed traditionally with an egg wash before being baked. I, however, much prefer the untraditional route of topping them with a lemon icing, and letting the kids decorate them with sprinkles. There are other variations too, such as dipping half in chocolate or leaving them bare. Check out Helvetic Kitchen’s recipe here.
4. Brunsli
Having first only tasted a store-bought Brunsli, I had relegated this cookie with traditions in Basel, to the “not my favourite” pile. But on telling a local friend, with a family history in Basel, about my aversion, she insisted that I try her recipe and promise they would become my favourite. She was right. Homemade Brunsli, made with high-quality chocolate, and eaten fresh out of the oven is something heavenly.
I have yet to been permitted to share her recipe (I am working on it, I promise) so in the meantime Helvetic Kitchen and Little Zurich Kitchen have you covered.
5. Chäbeli
For the Aniseed lovers out there this is the cookie for you. Personally, not being a big fan of these quite hard and unique tasting cookies, I don’t have a go-to recipe. But Helvetic Kitchen has one, as does, Martha Stewart or if you can figure out the german, this recipe from Betty Bossi.
6. Tirrgel
I tasted my first Tirrgel, the thin, hard, honey cookie from Zurich, only this past year at the Stiftung St. Jakob while taking a behind the scenes tour. Made from just flour, honey and spices, the cookie is quite hard and is best enjoyed by letting it melt on your tongue, or I can imagine they would taste lovely dipped in a hot mug of Glühwein. Tirrgel doesn’t only taste good but is beautiful too thanks to the intricate moulds used. Because of the artisan nature of these cookies, they are best purchased from bakeries like Stiftung St. Jakob.
7. Läckerli
Another honey cookie is Läckerli from Basel, and is a new entry in my list. You see, when I lived Basel after first moving to Switzerland, Läcklerli was everywhere all year long, and so for me, I never really associated it with Christmas. However, I am here to admit I was wrong and share that Läcklerli with its festive spices similar to gingerbread is often baked around this time of year before it became Basel’s souvenir of choice. I’ve never made Läckerli, instead, purchasing it from the supermarket or locally in Basel, but you can try this (german) recipe from Betty Bossi – https://www.bettybossi.ch/de/Rezept/ShowRezept/BB_BBKN201023_0001A-80-de
8. Totebeinli & Pfäffernüss & Co.
While the ones above are the most “famous” when it comes to Christmas cookies in Switzerland, they are for sure not the only ones. Each region and family has their favourites.
- Totebeinli (german)
- Pfeffernüss (german)
- Vanillagipfeli
