I know – it is a bit late to make Christmas cookies now – but it is Cookie Friday and you deserve cookies! That’s why I made these little fellas here ;) Happy Cookie Friday!
These little fellas are too cute – aren’t they? You probably seen them all over the internet already ;) I like to bake them for Christmas but they work also fine all year round, since bears are not animals that are typically related to Christmas or winter – like reindeers or gingerbread boys… yes gingerbread boys are animals in my Christmas World :P
The dough for these little fellas is one of the basic shortcrust recipes I have – it is being used for many different christmas cookies in my house. It is very easy to make and can be prepared in advance – store it up to 3 days in the fridge before baking. The bears can be made with almonds, like you see on the pictures – but you can also use hazelnuts, cashews or pecans – whatever you like the most :) Don’t forget to give the bears faces!
Note: If the dough is dry – which can happen – the arms tend to break sometimes when you try to bend them over the nuts. No problem at all – just press them onto the body of the bears and shape them a bit – no big surgery needed :P
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
2/3 cup (75g) confectioner’s sugar
1 3/4 cups (225g) all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
7 oz. (200g) whole hazelnuts or almonds
75g Puderzucker
225g Mehl (Type 405)
1 Eigelb
1 TL Vanille Extrakt
Prise Salz
200g ganze Haselnüsse oder Mandeln
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175°C). Line several baking sheets with baking parchment. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a thickness of 0.08 inch (2mm). Use a cookie cutter to cut out small bears. Place them on the baking sheets and knead the remaining dough again and cut out more cookies. Place a hazelnut or almond on each bear and put the arms on top. Place one baking sheet at a time in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool down on a wire rack.
2. Den Ofen auf 175°C (350°F) vorheizen. Mehrere Bleche mit Backpapier auslegen. Den Teig auf einer bemehlten Fläche ca. 2mm (0.08 inch) dick ausrollen. Mit einem Ausstecher kleine Bärchen ausstechen. Die Plätzchen auf die Bleche legen und die Teigreste mit dem restlichen Teig verkneten und weitere Plätzchen ausstechen. Auf jedes Bärchen eine Haselnuss oder Mandel legen und die Arme darüberlegen und etwas andrücken. Jeweils ein Backblech in den Ofen schieben und ca. 10 Minuten backen. Plätzchen auf einem Kuchengitter abkühlen lassen.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Bear Cookies
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 60
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (150g) butter
- 2/3 cup (75g) confectioner’s sugar
- 1 3/4 cups (225g) all-purpose flour
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 7 oz. (200g) whole hazelnuts or almonds
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix the butter in small pieces, confectioner’s sugar, flour, egg yolk and salt and knead first with a handheld mixer or food processor and then with your hands until you get a nice smooth dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175°C). Line several baking sheets with baking parchment. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a thickness of 0.08 inch (2mm). Use a cookie cutter to cut out small bears. Place them on the baking sheets and knead the remaining dough again and cut out more cookies. Place a hazelnut or almond on each bear and put the arms on top. Place one baking sheet at a time in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool down on a wire rack.
Notes
- Enjoy baking!
Hello. If possible can you provide a link to the bear cutter? I can’t find that specific one. Thank you!
Sorry – I bought that cookie cutter in a regular shop – I have no idea if that one is sold online.
Cheers,
Marc