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Mailänderli
Lemon butter cookies
Mailänderli: lemony Swiss Christmas butter cookies with an egg-yolk glaze
Come December, almost every Swiss household bakes Mailänderli, the simplest and best-loved of the Weihnachtsguetzli: buttery, lemon-scented biscuits cut into stars, hearts and moons and painted with egg yolk so they bake to a deep shine. Children across German-speaking Switzerland help cut them out, and tins of them are swapped with neighbours and eaten all through Advent. Chef's tip: rest the dough in the fridge overnight, or for at least 2 hours; warm dough spreads and the shapes lose their sharp edges.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
For the dough
- 9 oz buttersoftened
- 8 oz sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 lemon zestfinely grated
- 1 ⅛ lb plain flour
For the glaze
- 1 tsp milk or cream
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Beat 9 oz butter, 8 oz sugar and 1 pinch salt for 2–3 minutes until pale. Beat in 2 eggs one at a time, then 1 lemon zest.
5 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅛ lb plain flour and mix briefly until the dough just comes together. Flatten into a disc, wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
3 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 400°F (fan 350°F). Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to 7 mm thick and cut out shapes. Place on lined trays.
15 minStep 4: Beat 2 egg yolks with 1 tsp milk or cream and brush the tops twice, letting the first coat dry for a minute. Chill the trays for 10 minutes so the glaze sets.
5 minStep 5: Bake one tray at a time for 8–10 minutes until the tops are glossy golden and the edges just pale gold. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then on a rack. They keep for 3 weeks in a tin.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 17 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mailänderli take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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Perfect for:Christmas