Traditional German ‘Heidesand’ Cookies | Shortbread Cookies
- Christmas, Cookies & Pastries, Desserts & Sweets, Germany, Holidays & Seasonal
These delicious Heidesand Cookies are a classic treat, ideal for the festive Christmas season or year-round enjoyment with your favorite coffee or tea. The delightful blend of browned butter and sugar imparts a sweet and nutty flavor to these cookies. With a satisfyingly crisp bite, they delicately crumble in your mouth. The sandy texture is reminiscent of Northern German landscapes, drawing inspiration from the sandy soils of heath areas, which also inspired the name Heidesand (Heath Sand) Cookies.
Ingredients you will need for this recipe:
- 250 g butter
- 250 g sugar
- 1 packet of bourbon-vanilla sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons of milk
- 350 g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
How to make traditional German Heidesand Cookies:
(1) Browning the Butter
In a small pot, melt and brown the butter. Then strain it through a fine sieve into a heat-resistant bowl to filter out the browned whey. Allow the browned butter to cool briefly and then refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes.
(2) Preparing the Cookie Dough
Beat the solidified browned butter until creamy in a mixing bowl. Add 250 g of sugar, 1 packet of bourbon-vanilla sugar, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk. Mix everything well until a creamy consistency is achieved.
Combine 350 g of all-purpose flour with 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, and gradually add to the butter-sugar mixture until a smooth dough forms.
(3) Shaping the Cookie Rolls
Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape two rolls of approximately 3 cm thickness. Wrap the rolls in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.
(4) Baking the Heidesand Cookies
Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat) or 160°C (convection).
Unwrap the chilled rolls and cut them into slices about 1/2 cm thick. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between each cookie.
Bake the Heidesand Cookies in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
Some Recipe Tips:
Storage: Stored in an airtight container, the Heidesand Cookies can be kept for at least 4 weeks.
Traditional German ‘Heidesand’ Cookies | Shortbread Cookies
Course: Cookies & Pastries, Desserts & SweetsCuisine: GermanyDifficulty: Easyabout 150
cookies60
minutes12
minutesThese delicious Heidesand Cookies are a classic treat, ideal for the festive Christmas season or year-round enjoyment with your favorite coffee or tea. The delightful blend of browned butter and sugar imparts a sweet and nutty flavor to these cookies. With a satisfyingly crisp bite, they delicately crumble in your mouth. The sandy texture is reminiscent of Northern German landscapes, drawing inspiration from the sandy soils of heath areas, which also inspired the name Heidesand (Heath Sand) Cookies.
Ingredients
250 g butter
250 g sugar
1 packet of bourbon-vanilla sugar
a pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of milk
350 g all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
Directions
Browning the Butter
In a small pot, melt and brown the butter. Then strain it through a fine sieve into a heat-resistant bowl to filter out the browned whey. Allow the browned butter to cool briefly and then refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes.
Preparing the Cookie Dough
Beat the solidified browned butter until creamy in a mixing bowl. Add 250 g of sugar, 1 packet of bourbon-vanilla sugar, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk. Mix everything well until a creamy consistency is achieved.
Combine 350 g of all-purpose flour with 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, and gradually add to the butter-sugar mixture until a smooth dough forms.
Shaping the Cookie Rolls
Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape two rolls of approximately 3 cm thickness. Wrap the rolls in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.
Baking the Heidesand Cookies
Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat) or 160°C (convection).
Unwrap the chilled rolls and cut them into slices about 1/2 cm thick. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between each cookie.
Bake the Heidesand Cookies in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
Notes
- Storage: Stored in an airtight container, the Heidesand Cookies can be kept for at least 4 weeks.
