Bavarian State Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts

Let's Make "Plätzchen"!

Baking biscuits (“Plätzchen”) has long been a tradition in Bavaria, especially around Christmas time. Families come together and kids help with mixing the flour, rolling the dough, and decorating the biscuits. This activity fills the house with love, laughter, and a warm aroma of butter and vanilla.

Why not invite some friends to exchange stories, put some music on and sing along while baking biscuits together? Although they can be seen more often around Christmas and are usually shared with colleagues, relatives, and friends, these biscuits are perfect to enjoy at any time of the year. Here is an easy recipe to help you prepare these delicious treats: 

A Traditional Butter Biscuit Recipe

Ingredients

Pastry
125g cold butter
200g all-purpose flour
100g sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg

Icing
2 tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

Step 1
Add flour, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and egg into a large bowl and knead the dough until it forms a ball. Place the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Step 2
Line baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat top and bottom heating of the oven to 180° Celsius. Sprinkle flour onto work surface and roll out the dough to a thickness of about 5mm and cut out with your preferred biscuit cutter. Place the biscuits directly on the tray and bake them for approx. 7-10 minutes. Let them cool completely.

Step 3
For the icing, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice together and spread over the biscuits with a teaspoon. Add colorful decorations and sprinkles. 

Guten Appetit!