These simple German Cutout Christmas Cookies are a must bake during Christmas time. This classic "Weihnachtsplätzchen" recipe has delighted generations of cookie-eaters in Germany. You can decorate these veganized Christmas cookies with royal icing, festive sprinkles - or enjoy them as is!
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💡 The recipe in a nutshell
- Vegan (eggless and dairy free)
- Classic German baking made plant-based
- Buttery, crunchy and so delicious
- Easy to make
- Festive, decorative, and fun for kids
🇩🇪 The story behind this recipe
If you are into German food, you've come to the right place! All my veganized versions of traditional German foods are super authentic, tasty, and made with love. There are many more German foods from my childhood to explore on this blog. (If you're new here you may not know that I am from Germany! I moved to the United States in December 2019.) I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
My mom and I used to make these "Weihnachtsplätzchen" every year together since I was a child. So being able to veganize this traditional recipe was super special to me! I can tell you for a fact that especially kids will enjoy helping make the dough, cutting out fun shapes, and later decorating and eating these buttery soft cookies. It was definitely one of my favorite parts of the Christmas season in Germany.
🎄 Variations
You can decorate these cookies with vegan royal icing, or a simple icing made out of powdered sugar mixed with a little bit of lemon juice, or plant milk. They will look extra festive with green, red, and yellow food coloring or Christmas sprinkles!
You could even play around with different extracts for flavor variation such as orange, or chai. Feel free to get as creative as you'd like.
🥣 Storage
To store, put the cookies in a tin in a cool place. The tin should not be airtight. It should be able for a little moisture to escape. The best cookie tin to use is a Christmas metal tin. I always line these with a layer of vegan wax or parchment paper. For the first couple of days, I like to not fully close and seal the tin. After a couple days I seal it completely. Properly stored they keep fresh at room temperature for around 4 week.
❄️ How to freeze
Freeze cookies in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Squeeze out any excess air and label it with the date of freezing. To thaw place on the countertop on a plate and let come to room temperature.
📖 Recipe
German Cutout Christmas Cookies (easy + vegan)
Equipment
- Mixing bowl, rolling pin, christmas themed cookie cutters, baking sheet
Ingredients
- 250 grams all purpose flour, unbleached (8.8 oz)
- 90 grams cane sugar, organic (3.1 oz)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 125 grams vegan butter, chilled (1 stick + 1 tbsp)
- 4 tablespoons aquafaba
- a pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon tsp lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, or a package of vanilla sugar (9g)
- for decoration: vegan royal icing, or regular icing, festive sprinkles, vegan food coloring, and whatever more you desire
Instructions
- Add cane sugar to a food processor, or mixer, and pulse several times to grind fine.
- Add flour, cane sugar and cornstarch to a bowl and mix until combined. If using vanilla sugar, add now as well. Add butter in small pieces, aquafaba, lemon zest and extracts. Then mix and knead into a shortbread dough. Form dough into a large ball and refrigerate covered for at least half an hour.
- Prheat oven to 180°C / 355°F, top and bottom heat. Divide dough ball in half (return one half to refrigerator) and roll out. You can roll the dough out on a baking mat, lightly floured work surface, or in between parchment paper or plastic wrap.
- Cut out cookies with you favorite festive cookie cutter. Place on a baking sheet lightly greased with vegan butter, or lined with parchment paper. Do the same with the second portion of dough. Knead access dough scraps together, roll out and chill briefly before cutting out cookie shapes. Keeping the dough as cold as possible helps keeping them in shape, and makes cutting out cookies so easy!
- Bake for about 11-14 minutes, depending on thickness and how crunchy you'd like the cookies. They should be baked golden, with lightly browned edges and snap when breaking them. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Once cooled decorate as desired (with icing, decorative sprinkles, etc.).
Video
The provided nutritional information is an estimate. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
PS: Don't forget to rate this recipe and leave a comment on your experience - this helps improve my recipes and serves you with the best instructions, tips, and substitution ideas. Plus, I love hearing about your takes on my recipes! Tag me on Instagram @thesimplesprinkle to show me your pictures.
The cookies came out great! Perfect for our neighborhood Christmas cookie swap!
Thank you for your feedback! I hope you and your neighborhood enjoy these cookies as much as I do!
These cookies were so good. Thanks for sharing
Thank you so much!
These are so fun to make with the kids and delicious too!
Much agreed, and thank you so much for your feedback!
Love these sweet cutout cookies! They are the most delicious vegan dessert or snack, thanks for this easy recipe!
Thank you for your feedback!
Love these so much! So good!
Thank you Andrea!