Anisbrötli
Anise cookies
Anisbrötli (Chräbeli): Swiss anise cookies that rise with a white cap
Anisbrötli and their claw-shaped cousins Chräbeli are among the oldest Swiss Christmas biscuits, baked in Basel, Aargau and Zurich from Advent onwards and packed into tins beside Mailänderli and Brunsli. The egg and sugar dough is pressed into springerle moulds or cut into shapes, then left to dry overnight, so in the oven the bottom puffs up into a little 'foot' while the top stays white and smooth. Inside they are chewy and fragrant with anise. Chef's tip: beat the eggs and sugar for the full 10 minutes; under-whipped batter gives flat cookies with no foot.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
- 2 eggsat room temperature
- 9 oz icing sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp aniseedlightly crushed
- 1 tbsp kirsch (optional)optional; use lemon juice for alcohol-free
- 10 oz plain flour
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Beat 2 eggs, 9 oz icing sugar and 1 pinch salt with an electric mixer for 10 minutes until very thick, pale and it falls in a ribbon.
10 minStep 2: Stir in 1 tbsp aniseed and the 1 tbsp kirsch or lemon juice if using, then mix in 10 oz plain flour to a soft, smooth dough. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
3 minStep 3: Roll the dough 1 cm thick on a floured surface. Press with floured springerle moulds and cut out, or cut into rectangles. Place on lightly buttered trays.
20 minStep 4: Leave uncovered in a cool room for 24 hours, until the surface is completely dry.
720 minStep 5: Heat the oven to 275°F (fan 250°F). Bake for 18–20 minutes until each cookie has risen on a pale foot and the tops are still white. Cool and store in a tin with an apple slice to keep them soft.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 90 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 19 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does anisbrötli take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of icing sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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Perfect for:Christmas