"Ausstecherle" Christmas recipe

To bake the "Austecherle" cookies, first mix the flour with the baking powder in a large mixing bowl. I recommend investing time and care in these first steps to avoid lumps forming.

Then add the sugar, vanilla sugar and a pinch of salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture together with the eggs.

Now knead everything into a smooth dough with your hands. This step requires a little patience and dexterity, but that's what makes this recipe so charming.

Wrap the finished dough in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for about an hour. This step is important as it makes it easier to roll out and cut out the dough.

Then roll out the dough on a floured work surface to a thickness of about 3 mm and cut out the desired shapes. If the dough sticks when cutting out, simply use more flour.

Place the cut-out cookies on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (fan oven 160°C) for approx. 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

Remove the baked Ausstecherle cookies from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack. If you like, you can dust the cookies with powdered sugar.