Austrian HusarenKrapfen - Christmas Cookies - Red Ted Art

And we have just celebrated the 2. Advent. Today we decorated a “mini Christmas” tree. We ate some Mincepies and we listened to more Christmas Music. Advent is a great time to get together as a family, to read stories and play games. Today we share another festive Christmas biscuit – The Husarenkrapfen!

I think in many parts of the world these are called “Thumbprint Cookies“.

Husaren Krapfen

Another little “Austrian” classic, the Husren Krapfen, this in essence is a ” Butter cookie” with jam. When I think of a plate of Christmas cookies, I always think “you need at least one if not two sorts of jam”.

Baking With Kids

What I like about this cookie is that children can help – as you form little balls and the squish a dimple in it for the jam.

Young kids: get them them forming the dough balls and thumbprints. My kids did this from about 3yrs old.

Middle aged kids: get them crumbling the butter and flour.. then take over and mix the rest to make a smooth dough.

Older kids (11yrs+) : can make the whole cookie by themselves. Though I do usually help with adding the jam!

Here we go:

Husarenkraphen Ingredients:

250g plain flour
180g unsalted butter – at room tempature
a pinch of salt (you can use salted butter instead, but to me salted butter always has too much salt in it.. so I prefer to unsalted for all our bakes)
50g of ground almonds
2 egg yolks (save the egg whites for chocolate meringues)
100g icing sugar
Apricot or strawberry jam for filling

Method

Crumble flour and butter (+salt), add almonds, add yolks and sugar and knead until you have a smooth dough.

Cool in fridge for 20-30min – this really is key if you which to have a nice “ball shaped” cookie. I confess, we frequently don’t bother.. but it does mean that our cookies “spread” a little. We don’t mind, as they still taste nice! Whilst the dough is setting a little in the fridge, preheat the oven 180C.

Form little balls*, place on baking tray. With finger make an indent. Fill with a little jam.

Bale at 180C until the edges brown.

Enjoy.

*Red Ted enjoyed making the balls or sausages.. I did find however that once he had the “dough in his hands”, he wouldn’t hand it back and at least half had to be tasted! But hey, what is childhood for?!

Remember – for the egg whites hop over to our Double Chocolate Meringue Cookies!