Weihnachtsplätzchen - German Christmas Cookies

My favorite Christmas cookies: Weihnachtsplätzchen! A classic Christmas recipe that reminds me of the first time I visited Germany!

Prepare the Ingredients:

1. 250 gr all-purpose flour
2. 125 gr butter (slightly softened)
3. 100 gr sugar
4. 1 egg
5. 1 teaspoon vanilla powder
6. 1 tablespoon baking powder
7. A pinch of salt

Place all the ingredients into a bowl. Mix them together and knead by hand until you form a smooth dough.

Wrap the dough (or cover the bowl) and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Preheat your oven to 160°C Fan (or 320°F). Roll out the dough using a rolling pin until it is approximately 0.5 cm (¼ inch) thick. Cut into various shapes using cookie cutters. Place the cookies on a shallow baking sheet lined with parchment paper (baking paper). Gather the leftover scraps of dough, roll them out again, and cut more cookies until all the dough is used.

Optionally, you can brush the tops of the cookies with a beaten egg (egg wash) and decorate them with colored sugar or sprinkles.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 15–17 minutes (or until slightly golden on the edges).

Serve and enjoy!