German Christmas Cookies Recipe: Make Oma's Weihnachtskekse

by: Gerhild Fulson  /  Cookbook Author, Blogger, German Oma!

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Yes, this German Christmas cookies recipe is what I pull out of my recipe box when the days grow shorter and the air fills with the scent of cinnamon, cloves, and pine. It can only mean one thing—Christmas is on its way! 

In Germany, this is a joyous time of year, and one of my fondest memories growing up was baking Weihnachtskekse (Christmas cookies) with my Mutti. These cookies, simple yet delicious, hold a special place in every German household during the holiday season. Especially in ours!

Dig in, everybody! The season is here for the perfect treat: Weihnachtskekse!

After my parents moved to Canada, I think this was the way Mutti helped us stay connected to our German roots, especially during those first cold winters in northern Ontario, far away from her family and those Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas markets).

Once I was married, every December the kitchen was filled with the sound of laughter, the flour-dusted faces of our boys, fingers sticky with icing, and the smell of freshly baked Weihnachtskekse. Christmas calls for the perfect treat- a classic holiday cookie.

This traditional German Christmas cookies recipe has been in my family for generations, and I'm here to keep passing it on for others to enjoy with their families. So, have a blast decorating, crank up the Christmas music, gather by the tree, pop open that cookie tin, and dig in!

German Christmas Cookie History

Christmas cookies in Germany have been a very popular tradition since the Middle Ages. Back then, monasteries created intricate spiced cookies for festive occasions. Over time, these cookies made their way into homes, where families developed their own recipes, often passing them down through generations. 

In Germany, baking cookies during Advent is almost as important as decorating the Christmas tree. Families come together to prepare trays of Plätzchen (another word for cookies), including classics like Vanillekipferl, Zimtsterne, and these delightful Weihnachtskekse. Each cookie tells a story, and these simple butter cookies are perfect for children and adults alike to bake and decorate together.

Making and Decorating Weihnachtkekse:

What thickness to roll the dough:

• The common thickness for rolling out cut-out cookies is about ⅛ - ¼ inch (3 - 5 mm). 
• Thin cookies (around 3 mm or ⅛  inch): Bake faster and become crispier, perfect if you like a delicate crunch.
• Thicker cookies (around 5 mm or ¼ inch): Tend to be softer in the center, with a slight chew.
• If you’re baking with children or using intricate cookie cutters, slightly thicker dough (closer to ¼ inch) is easier to work with and less prone to breaking. Just be sure to roll the dough evenly to ensure consistent baking.

Tips:

• Always preheat your oven to ensure even baking.
• Check the cookies after 8 minutes, as baking times can vary depending on thickness. Remove them once the edges are just starting to turn golden.

Decorating Ideas:

Decorating Weihnachtskekse (Christmas cookies) is a wonderful way to get into the holiday spirit. Here are 10 creative and festive ideas to make your cookies shine this Christmas:

1. Classic Icing and Sprinkles

• Mix powdered sugar with water or lemon juice to create a simple glaze.
• Spread it on the cookies and sprinkle with colorful Christmas-themed sprinkles (red, green, gold, or silver).

2. Royal Icing Designs

• Use royal icing to pipe intricate patterns, like snowflakes, Christmas trees, or stars.
• Add a touch of sparkle with edible glitter or luster dust.

3. Chocolate Dip

• Dip half of the cookie into melted chocolate (dark, milk, or white).
• Sprinkle crushed candy canes, chopped nuts, or festive nonpareils on the chocolate before it sets.

4. Marbled Glaze

• Add drops of food coloring to a bowl of white icing and lightly swirl it.
• Dip the cookies into the glaze for a stunning marble effect.

5. Fondant Toppers

• Roll out colored fondant and cut it with the same cookie cutters you used for the dough.
• Attach the fondant to the cookies with a light brush of honey or jam, then add details with edible markers.

6. Candy Decorations

• Press mini candies (like M&Ms or Skittles) into the icing to create ornaments on tree-shaped cookies or buttons on gingerbread people.

7. Edible Gold and Silver

• Use edible gold or silver leaf to give your cookies a luxurious and modern look.
• Apply sparingly over white or dark icing for a stunning effect.

8. Holiday-Themed Stencils

• Place a stencil with a Christmas design (snowflakes, reindeer, etc.) over the cookie.
• Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa powder to create the pattern.

9. Layered Icing

• Pipe a base layer of icing in one color (e.g., green for a tree).
• Once dry, add smaller details on top, like ornaments or garland, using a piping bag with fine tips — then set aside on a wire rack to dry.

10. Sugared Fruits and Nuts

• Decorate with candied orange peel, red and green candied cherries, or slivers of almonds.
• Arrange them in patterns for a vintage, rustic look reminiscent of old-fashioned German Christmas cookies.

Our large cookie platter all decorated and ready for the big day! Don't our Weihnachtskekse fit in so nicely among the others?

The Great Decorating Frenzy of 2024

Every year since I was a young little Lydia, I would look forward to coming over to Oma and Opa's on Christmas Eve. We would enjoy each other's company, open gifts, play Wii games together, and of course, snack on Oma's Christmas baking. 

This year, I helped first-hand in the cookie decorating process! For the first time, I tried the flooding technique and I was amazed at how simple it was to master. As a first-time cookie flooder, it only took a few practice cookies before I was on my way to feeling like a pro.

The icing flowed effortlessly over the cookies, creating a smooth surface to draw on later using edible paint pens. It felt like a creative adventure, and by the end, our cookies looked almost too perfect to eat!

Here Lydia is using her favorite "paint with gel food coloring' technique!

As you can see on our lovely cookie platter — we used a few of these techniques.

There are so many EASY ways to make beautiful cookies that look like they came straight from a German cookie shop at Christmas time. Or, for my German Christmas market lovers out there: this is a great way to bring a piece of them to your very own home, wherever you are in the world.

Sprinkles are, of course, a popular and easy way to spruce up your cookie game. I simply added them right on top of the wet flooding icing for the perfect effortless look! Dipping or sprinkling the flooded cookies with sugar crystals was another low-effort but beautiful effect.

Oma also helped in dipping a few cookies in chocolate for that half-and-half look covered in chopped nuts.

Sprinkling cookies with sugar for a sweet and snowy effect

Ignore my little flooding icing spill on that one ... It was my first time! Cut me some slack ;) No cookie is a perfect cookie unless it's made by you!

Lydia's Favorite Tools

• Needling Modeling Tool — This handy tool is a great way to make sure your flooding icing makes it all the way to the edges of your outline icing, and to help sculpt the perfect the outline itself. I also used it all the time to help me scoot sprinkles into place!
• Edible Paint Pens — These pens allow you to draw on top of fully set flooding icing as if you're drawing on paper! Use these to add beautiful details, patterns and designs to the tops of the cookies such as: Snowmen, snowflakes, and poinsettias if you're feeling fancy!
• Gel Food Coloring — This is a great alternative if you don't have paint pens. Simply add a drop of gel coloring to a paper plate (To act as a painter's palette of sorts) and use a fine paint brush to paint the designs on instead. It works just as good and allows you the opportunity to get even more creative in mixing colors too!

Lydia using the decorating needle to push the outline all the way to the edges, perfecting it for the flooding.

How to store them:

1. Cool Completely First

• Before storing, make sure the cookies are completely cooled to prevent moisture buildup, which can make them soggy.

2. Use Airtight Containers

• Place the cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh and crisp. Metal cookie tins are traditional and work wonderfully, but plastic or glass containers with tight-fitting lids also do the job.

3. Layer with Parchment Paper

• If you’ve decorated your cookies, especially with icing or sprinkles, layer them between sheets of parchment or wax paper to prevent sticking or smudging.

4. Separate Different Types

• Store different types of cookies separately. For example: Crisp cookies like these should not be stored with soft cookies (e.g., gingerbread), as the moisture from the soft ones can make the crisp ones lose their texture.

5. Storage Location

• Keep the container in a cool, dry place, like a pantry or cupboard, away from direct sunlight or heat.
• If your home is warm, you can refrigerate them, but be sure to let them come to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.

6. Freezing for Long-Term Storage

• These cookies freeze beautifully! Place them in a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bags.
• If decorated, freeze in a single layer first (on a tray) to set the decorations, then transfer to a container.
• Thaw them at room temperature when ready to enjoy.

Shelf Life

• Stored at room temperature: About 2-3 weeks in an airtight container.  
• Frozen: Up to 3 months.  

Ready to make this German Christmas Cookies Recipe?

Here’s how you can make these classic cookies, just like we do in Germany!

Print Recipe

German Christmas Cookies Recipe: Make Oma's Weihnachtskekse

This Weihnachtskekse recipe has been in my family for generations, and I'm here to keep passing it on for others to enjoy with their families. So, have a blast decorating, crank up the Christmas music, gather by the tree, pop open that cookie tin, and dig in!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Bake Time 12 min. each cookie sheet

Total Time 42 minutes

Servings:

Makes 40-70 cookies depending upon size

Ingredients:

• 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour  
• 2 tsp (10 g) baking powder  
• 2 eggs  
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar  
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• 1 cup (250 g) butter, room temperature  
• Sprinkles and other decorations

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare 2 greased or parchment-lined cookie sheets.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy with a hand mixer.
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla sugar.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until a smooth dough forms. Finish off kneading the dough together into a ball with your hands.
6. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to ⅛ - ¼ inch (3 - 5 mm). See Tips below. Use cookie cutters to create different shapes and festive patterns.
   
7. Place the cut-out cookies on the prepared cookie sheets.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 8 - 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
9. Let the cookies cool completely.
10. Decorate with sprinkles, sugar crystals, paint pens, or other toppings as desired.

Notes/Hints:

• Roll the dough to your desired thickness. Thin cookies (around 3 mm or ⅛  inch): Bake faster and become crispier, perfect if you like a delicate crunch. Thicker cookies (around 5 mm or ¼ inch): Tend to be softer in the center, with a slight chew.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom
• Replace the vanilla sugar with (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)   
• Use almond or peppermint extract instead of vanilla
• These cookies keep well for up to 3 weeks in an airtight container in a cool, dry location
• For longer storage up to 2 months, place into freezer-safe containers or resealable freezer bags, with parchment paper between layers.

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German Christmas Cookies Recipe: Make Oma's Weihnachtskekse

By Oma Gerhild Fulson

German Christmas Cookies Recipe: A cherished family tradition for generations! Decorate, enjoy Christmas music, and share these festive treats with loved ones.

Ingredients: flour, baking powder, eggs, sugar, vanilla sugar, butter,

For the full recipe, scroll up ...

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.