German Raspberry Spitzbuben Cookies Recipe: New Year, New Cookie Bar Recipe (5 Ingredients) Cookies Desserts Snacks Holidays European Recipes German Recipes Gluten-free Low Sodium Recipes

My friend Karen gifted us the most beautiful German Christmas cookies this holiday season. The raspberry Spitzbuben cookies are similar to German Linzer cookies, with a lovely layer of raspberry jam sandwiched between two layers of delicious dough. Spitzbuben, roughly translated as "little devils" or “mischievous boys," can also be found in Austria and Switzerland, among other places, making this an old-fashioned European dessert. These easy raspberry Spitzbuben cookies make holidays so merry and bright!

Karen originally found this German cookie bars recipe when it was awarded second place in a Chicago Tribune Holiday Cookie Bake-Off. The author, Sarah Tuohy, a self-taught home baker, said she originally got the recipe from a friend's mom after Sarah became the "treat-maker" for the Chicago Bears. "This became a team and staff favorite from the first day I made them for the Bears!" Sarah said. "Without the help of Mrs. Lloyd's kind gesture of sharing some of her recipes, I would have been lost that first season. So that is the No. 1 reason this recipe is so special to me."

Here are the five simple ingredients you need in order to make these irresistible holiday cookies: butter, sugar, egg yolks, flour and raspberry preserves. That's it! You make the dough then cut it in half. You lay half the dough out, spread the jam across it, then lay the other half of the dough on top of the jam. Bake it until golden then sprinkle with powdered sugar before slicing into tender bars.

Serve these delicate cookie bars with a cup of hot tea or coffee, or a glass of cold milk for dessert. They just may become the new favorite on your Christmas cookie tray next year. Happy New Year! 

Cuisine: European
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 to 45 minutes (ovens vary)
Total Time: 55 to 60 minutes
Servings: 24

Ingredients

• 2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 4 cups flour (all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour)
• 1 1/2 cups raspberry preserves

Recipe Notes

• Sarah notes that you can cut the cookies into holiday shapes if you'd like, but she cuts them into simple squares and puts them in holiday cupcake liners. Karen puts hers in festive tissue-paper-lined cookie tins.

• You can use all-purpose or gluten-free flour for these cookies.

• Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh.

Here's how to make it:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar. Beat together until light and fluffy.
2. Blend in the egg yolks, then gradually stir in the flour until thoroughly mixed and a dough forms.
3. Cut the dough in two equal halves. Spread half of the dough evenly in a jelly roll pan that measures 10x15 inches.
4. Spread the raspberry preserves over the first layer of dough, then place the other half of the dough on top of the layer of raspberry preserves.
5. Bake in an oven that's been preheated to 325 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes or until light brown. Because ovens vary, this could take up to an hour, so keep checking on them.
6. Allow to cool completely, then sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into bars.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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