🍪 German Rosinenbroetchen (German Brandy Soaked Raisin Cookies) 🍪
Description: Adapted from the classic “Back vergnuegen wie noch nie,” which I have translated into English from the German, these delightful cookies encapsulate the essence of German baking tradition. Prep time includes a 30-minute soak for the raisins, infusing them with the rich flavor of brandy, while the cook time per batch ensures they emerge from the oven perfectly golden brown and irresistibly aromatic.
Recipe Category: Drop Cookies
Keywords: Dessert, Cookie & Brownie, German, European, Sweet, < 60 Mins, For Large Groups
Aggregated Rating: 4 ⭐
Recipe Servings: 80
🕒 Cooking Times:
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|
| 45 minutes | 10 minutes | 55 minutes |
📝 Recipe Ingredients:
- 100g raisins
- 4 tbsp brandy
- 125g sweet unsalted butter
- 125g granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 eggs
- 225g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 lemon, zest only
🔪 Instructions:
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Soak Raisins: In a bowl, combine the raisins and brandy, ensuring the raisins are fully submerged. Cover and let soak for 30 minutes, allowing the raisins to absorb the rich flavor of the brandy.
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Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) and line baking sheets with parchment paper, ensuring a non-stick surface for your cookies to bake to perfection.
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Cream Butter: Using a mixer, cream the sweet unsalted butter until smooth, achieving a creamy texture that forms the perfect base for your cookie dough.
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Add Sugar and Eggs: Gradually add the granulated sugar and vanilla sugar to the creamed butter, followed by the eggs. Beat the mixture until thick and creamy, incorporating air for a light and fluffy cookie texture.
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Sift Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, ground cardamom, and ground cloves, ensuring even distribution of the spices throughout the dough.
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Incorporate Lemon Zest: Stir the zest of one lemon into the flour mixture, infusing the dough with a bright citrus flavor that complements the richness of the raisins and spices.
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Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the egg mixture into the flour mixture using a wooden spoon, taking care not to overmix the dough. The goal is to achieve a uniform consistency without compromising the lightness of the batter.
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Fold in Raisins: Drain the soaked raisins, discarding any excess liquid, and gently fold them into the cookie batter, ensuring they are evenly distributed for a burst of flavor in every bite.
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Portion Dough: Using two spoons, scoop the dough into blobs roughly the size of a cherry and place them onto the parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie to allow for spreading during baking.
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Bake to Perfection: Slide the baking sheets into the preheated oven and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown and fragrant, indicating they are perfectly baked and ready to be enjoyed.
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Cool and Serve: Once baked to perfection, remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to wire racks to cool completely, allowing them to set before indulging in their irresistible flavor and texture.
🥣 American Measurements:
If using American measuring cups, approximate the ingredient quantities as follows:
- 1 1/2 cups of raisins
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) of sweet unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 tsp of vanilla sugar
- About 2 2/3 cups of all-purpose flour
Indulge in the delightful flavors of these German Rosinenbroetchen, each bite a celebration of tradition and culinary craftsmanship. Perfect for sharing with friends and family or savoring as a sweet treat any time of day. Enjoy the rich aroma of brandy-soaked raisins and warm spices, transporting your taste buds to the heart of Germany with every delicious bite!
