Best German Roll Kuchen Cookies Recipes

LEBKUCHEN COOKIES

Steps:

• Prepare the Cookies: In a 1½ quart saucepan, combine the honey and muscovado sugar. Over medium-high heat, stir gently until the sugar begins to dissolve and the mixture just begins to come to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter. Let cool until warm to touch. Whisk in the egg and lemon zest and juice.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
• On low speed, stir in the wet ingredients until a smooth, sticky dough forms. Laura's Note: This will be slack and loose, don't worry! Scrape the dough into a lightly oiled ceramic bowl and cover with a plate - you want the dough to be able to breathe.
• Allow the dough to "ripen" at cool room temperature for 1 to 2 days - do not refrigerate. (The large amount of honey and sugar will keep bacteria at bay.)
• Position racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat it to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Turn out the dough onto a well-floured work surface. Roll it out to a ¼-inch/6 mm thickness. Use a bench scraper or thin spatula to get under the dough and scoot it around in the flour occasionaly to prevent sticking. Cut shapes with 2-inch/5 cm cutters and place 1 inch/2½ cm apart on the prepared baking sheets. Sweep away any excess flour with a pastry brush.
• Bake until fragrant and lightly browned, about 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking time. (Watch closely, as honey in the dough can make the edges catch and burn quickly.)
• Prepare the Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, egg white, lemon juice, and salt for a smooth, thin, runny glaze. (Add a few drops of lemon juice, as needed, to achieve this consistency).
• Let the cookies firm up and cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Run an offset spatula under the cookies to gently looesn them from the parchment paper, leaving them on the sheets.
• While still warm, brush the cookies with glaze and transfer to wire racks. Allow the cookies to cool and the glaze to dry completely.
• The secret to a perfect lebkuchen texture is in the resting phase: place the cookies into airtight containers in layers, seperated by parchment or wax paper. Tuck a wedge of apple in the container before sealing. Store in a cool place for at least 3 days, or up to 2 weeks, to allow the cookies to ripen once more before serving.

ROLL KUCHEN (FROM THE MENNONITE TREASURY OF RECIPES)

Steps:

• Beat eggs well.
• Put into a 1 cup measuring cup and fill with milk. (This may end up being more or less than the 3/4 cup listed in the ingredients.)
• Add to remaining ingredients and mix to combine.
• Roll out very thin and cut into strips.
• Cut again so that pieces are approximately 1 inch long by 3 inches wide.
• Cut a slit in the middle and pull one end through to knot it.
• Fry four to six at a time, in deep hot fat until golden brown.
• Serve with Watermelon!
• A Mennonite summer tradition!

GERMAN ROLL KUCHEN

Steps:

• Mix and make a soft but not sticky dough.
• Roll and cut into oblong pieces.
• Make a cut in the centre (but not from edge to edge).
• Take an end and pull through the middle.
• Fry in hot oil until golden brown.
• Let cool.
• Sprinkle with icing sugar.
• Eat with watermelon.

PFEFFERKUCHEN

Steps:

• Bring molasses, honey, and sugar to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat, then remove from heat and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Stir in anise, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, lemon zest, and butter. Dissolve baking soda in water, then stir into the molasses mixture. Sift together 6 cups of flour with the baking powder and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Stir in molasses mixture and eggs until smooth. Stir in remaining 3 cups flour until a stiff dough has formed.
• Divide dough into 4 pieces to make it more manageable. Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thick on a well floured surface and cut into shapes with a cookie cutter.
• Bake cookies on ungreased baking sheets 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned around the edges. Cool completely on a wire rack.

ROLLKUCHEN (MENNONITE FRITTERS)

Steps:

• Place eggs in a large mixing bowl, and beat until frothy. Gradually beat in the flour and salt to make a soft dough. Roll out the dough to be fairly thin, about 1/8 inch, and cut into 2 inch by 5 inch strips. Cut a slit down the center of each strip, and twist so one end slides through the slit and makes a loop.
• Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a deep skillet (or use a deep-fat fryer) over medium-high heat, 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Cook dough in small batches in preheated oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm or at room temperature.

GERMAN LEBKUCHEN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the egg, brown sugar and honey until smooth. Stir in the molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and allspice; stir into the molasses mixture. Stir in the almonds and candied fruit peel. Cover or wrap dough, and chill overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into 2x3 inch rectangles. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. While still warm, brush the cookies with the lemon glaze.
• To make the glaze: In a small bowl, stir together the egg white, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Brush over cookies.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE ROLL

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13-by-18-inch jelly-roll pan; line with parchment paper, letting it come up the short sides by about 2 inches. Brush the paper with oil or melted butter and lightly dust with flour.
• For the filling, whisk the evaporated milk, 1 cup sugar, 3 egg yolks and the cubed butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick and creamy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla, the coconut and pecans. Set aside to cool completely, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the cocoa and chocolate in another bowl. Add the hot coffee to the cocoa mixture, stirring until smooth; stir in the buttermilk and the remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla.
• Using a mixer, beat the softened butter and the remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar in a large bowl on high speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to low; add the 3 whole eggs, 1 at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the cocoa mixture in 2 parts, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until just blended; if necessary, fold the batter together with a rubber spatula.
• Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake until the cake springs back when pressed lightly, about 16 minutes. Cool slightly in the pan.
• Run a knife around the edge and slide the cake with its paper onto a work surface. Spread the coconut filling evenly over the cake. Roll the cake from one of the short ends, pulling it away from the parchment into a tight cylinder; transfer to a platter. Cool completely and dust with the confectioners' sugar or cocoa.

ROLL KUCHEN (NOT CRISPY VERSION)

Steps:

• Mix together to form a dough.
• (This dough works best if you chill it for an hour or so).
• Roll out on floured surface and cut into strips with a knife or pizza cutter.
• Cut each strip into rectangles.
• Cut a small slit in each rectangle and pull one end through to form a twisted shape.
• Fry in hot lard, in small batches (5 or 6 at a time), until golden on each side.
• It is hot enough when the dough rises immediately to the surface.
• Serve with watermelon.
• These freeze well.

GERMAN KUCHEN

Steps:

• 1. Dough- Scald milk and add butter, sugar, and salt. Dissolve yeast in warm water in seperate bowl and then add to milk mixture. Beat in eggs and then flour. Cover and let rise until doubled. About an hour. Punch down and divide into 5 pieces. Roll out into desired shape and let rise 30 minutes. Then choose your topping. I used a 9" round cake pan for mine.
• 2. Cinnamon Topping: Use a pastry blender to mix butter and brown sugar and flour. Add cinnamon and sprinkle over dough after it rises the second time. Dot with Butter if desired. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.
• 3. Cherry Topping: Heat can of dark cherry pie filling and spread on crust after it rises second time. Bake for 20 minutes at 375.
• 4. Cheese Topping; Mix cottage cheese, egg and sugar in blender intil creamy. Heat slowly until warm on stove. Pour on dough after rises second time. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.
• 5. Butter Topping: Beat together sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly beat in oil. Add oil too fast and it will curdle. Heat on top of stove until hot and pour on crust after second rising. Bake 25 minutes at 375.
• 6. Apple Topping: Peel and slice thinly 3 apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and nutmeg to taste. Roll this dough out in a rectangle. Fill the center with apples and dot with butter. Bake 20 minutes at 375.