Swiss Christmas Favourites

Golden lemon biscuits 01 / 08

Mailänderli

Golden lemon butter biscuits in little festive shapes

The first tray smells of butter and lemon. Mailänderli are Swiss Christmas favourites with a shiny egg-brushed top and a simple shape that little chefs can choose for themselves. Make stars, hearts or bells, keeping the pieces a similar size so they bake together.

Let’s cook

1. Make a lemony beginning

   Wash hands and weigh the ingredients. An adult finely grates the lemon zest, avoiding the bitter white layer, and cracks the egg into a small bowl. Beat the softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl for 2–3 minutes until creamy. Stir in the lemon zest and vanilla. Children can help measure and mix with a wooden spoon.

2. Bring the dough together

   Beat the egg lightly, then mix it into the butter mixture. Add the flour and optional salt. Fold and press gently until the flour disappears and a soft dough forms; stop as soon as it comes together rather than kneading it like bread. Divide into two flat discs, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Keep hands away from mouths and do not taste the raw dough.

3. Roll an even sheet

   An adult heats the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6 and lines two baking trays. Take out one dough disc, leaving the other chilled. Let it soften for a few minutes only if it is too firm to roll. On a lightly floured surface, or between two sheets of baking paper, roll to about 7 mm thick. Keep the thickness even from the centre to the edges.

4. Cut and give them a shine

   Cut shapes with cutters about 5 cm wide and transfer them to a tray, leaving 2 cm gaps. Gather scraps gently and roll them again once. An adult mixes the egg yolk with the teaspoon of milk. Brush a thin layer over each biscuit without letting it pool around the edges. Put a tray back in the fridge for 10 minutes if the dough has become very soft while shaping; wash hands after handling dough and egg.

5. Bake to a gentle gold

   An adult bakes one tray at a time on the middle shelf for 10–12 minutes, until the tops are golden and the edges are just beginning to colour. The surface should look set, not wet. Prepare the second disc while the first tray bakes, keeping unbaked biscuits chilled. Different cutters can make slightly different sizes, so watch the smallest pieces first.

6. Cool before the first crunch

   Leave the biscuits on the hot tray for 5 minutes, then an adult transfers them to a wire rack. Let them cool completely before tasting or packing into a tin. Compare two shapes: do they taste the same even though they look different? Keep a few for a small family tasting plate and save the rest to share over several days.

From the table: Mailänderli belong to the Swiss Christmas biscuit assortment often called Weihnachtsguetzli. Lemon zest, butter and a golden egg-brushed finish are familiar features; shapes vary from kitchen to kitchen.

Cinnamon stars 02 / 08

Zimtsterne

Cinnamon-almond stars with a snowy white baked topping

These little stars have a cinnamon-scented almond middle and a thin white meringue top. They are a different kind of biscuit dough: there is no wheat flour, and the mixture is naturally sticky. Our family recipe uses pasteurised egg white and gentle baking to keep the topping pale.

Let’s cook

1. Whisk a snowy mixture

   Wash hands. Use a clean, dry mixing bowl with no greasy traces. An adult supervises the electric whisk while the pasteurised egg white and optional salt are whisked to soft peaks. Add the sifted icing sugar in three portions, whisking until thick and glossy. Weigh 40 g of this white mixture into a small bowl for the topping, cover it and refrigerate it.

2. Make the almond dough

   Stir the cinnamon and vanilla into the remaining white mixture. Fold in the 275 g ground almonds. Press a little mixture together with a spoon: it should make a soft dough that holds its shape. If it is very wet and spreads immediately, add extra ground almonds a tablespoon at a time, using no more than the additional 25 g. A slightly sticky surface is normal.

3. Chill and roll with care

   Flatten the dough between two sheets of baking paper, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. An adult heats the oven to 140°C / 120°C fan / gas 1 and lines two trays. Roll the chilled dough between the paper to about 8–10 mm thick. Lift the top sheet carefully; if it clings badly, chill the sheet of dough for another 10 minutes.

4. Cut stars and paint the tops

   Use a star cutter about 5 cm across. Dip its edge in a little icing sugar between cuts, and lift each star onto a tray with a small palette knife. Leave 2 cm gaps. Re-form scraps gently. Spoon a little of the reserved white topping onto each star and spread a thin layer towards the points with the back of a teaspoon. Children can help while an adult steadies the tray. Do not eat the unbaked mixture.

5. Bake slowly and keep them pale

   An adult bakes one tray at a time in the lower half of the oven for 20–25 minutes. Keep the waiting tray in the fridge. The white surface should become set and dry to a light touch, and the biscuit base should be firm enough to lift after cooling; the middle remains tender. If a sample still has a wet, paste-like centre, bake for a few more minutes. Do not grill or turn up the heat to rush the stars.

6. Let the stars settle

   Leave the biscuits on their tray for 10 minutes so their delicate bases can firm up. An adult transfers them carefully to a rack to cool completely. The white topping is thin and fragile, so avoid piling the stars up while warm. Taste a small piece and compare the cinnamon-almond centre with the smooth, sweet top.

From the table: Zimtsterne means cinnamon stars in German. These almond biscuits are familiar on Swiss festive plates and across neighbouring German-speaking regions. Their white topping is baked with the biscuit rather than added as a wet icing afterwards.

Vanilla crescents 03 / 08

Vanillekipferl

Tender almond crescents with a light vanilla-sugar coat

Turn little pieces of dough into crescent moons, then give them a snowy dusting. These delicate almond biscuits are easy to recognise by their curved shape and vanilla scent. The ends do not need to be perfectly pointed: keeping them a little rounded helps them bake without becoming too dark.

Let’s cook

1. Start with vanilla and butter

   Wash hands and weigh the ingredients. An adult separates the egg, keeping the yolk for this recipe and refrigerating the white promptly for another cooked dish. Beat the softened butter and caster sugar until smooth and creamy. Stir in the vanilla and egg yolk until evenly mixed. Children can help with measuring and gentle spoon mixing.

2. Make a tender dough

   Mix the ground almonds with the flour, then fold them into the butter mixture. Press together gently without kneading. If the mixture will not hold when squeezed, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time, using only what it needs. Divide the dough into two short logs, wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Do not taste the raw dough.

3. Shape little moons

   An adult lines two baking trays. Take out one dough log and divide it into twelve similar pieces. Roll each gently into a short sausage about 6–7 cm long, with slightly narrower but rounded ends. Bend into a crescent and place on the tray, leaving 2 cm gaps. If a piece cracks, press it together and reshape it rather than stretching it. Repeat with the second log.

4. Chill before baking

   Put the shaped crescents in the fridge for 15 minutes; this helps them keep their curves. Meanwhile, an adult heats the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas 4. Mix the icing sugar and vanilla sugar in a small bowl and set out a fine sieve. Wash hands and clear away the raw-dough utensils before preparing the cooling area.

5. Bake to a pale finish

   An adult bakes one tray at a time in the middle of the oven for 12–15 minutes. The crescents should look set, with just a faint golden colour underneath and at the ends; they should not be deeply browned. Keep the second tray chilled while it waits. Leave the baked biscuits on their tray for 5 minutes because they are very fragile straight from the oven.

6. Dust and cool

   While the crescents are still slightly warm, an adult sieves a light layer of the vanilla-sugar mixture over them. Lift them carefully onto a rack and leave to cool completely. Add a final small dusting only if wanted. Children can arrange the cooled moons on a plate and compare a straight piece of dough they imagined with the curved biscuit it became.

From the table: Vanillekipferl are associated especially with Austrian baking and are also enjoyed on Swiss Christmas biscuit plates. The word describes their vanilla flavour and little crescent shape. This almond version makes a small family batch.

Little jam windows 04 / 08

Spitzbuben

Little jam-window sandwich biscuits with a snowy sugar top

Two thin butter biscuits become a tiny window onto a bright red jam centre. Cut matching bases and lids, make a little heart or star opening in each lid, then sandwich them together after baking. Counting pairs is part of the fun: every window needs a base.

Let’s cook

1. Mix a soft butter dough

   Wash hands. Beat the softened butter and sifted icing sugar until smooth and creamy. Stir in the vanilla and measured egg white. Add the flour and mix only until it forms a soft dough. Press into two flat discs, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. An adult handles the egg; everyone washes hands after touching the raw mixture, which must not be tasted.

2. Roll thinly and evenly

   Line two baking trays. Roll one chilled disc between two sheets of baking paper to about 3 mm thick, using only a light dusting of flour if needed. Keep the second disc in the fridge. If the rolled sheet becomes sticky or difficult to lift, slide it onto a tray and chill for 10 minutes before cutting. Thin, evenly rolled dough makes a neat sandwich.

3. Pair bases with windows

   Cut rounds about 4–5 cm wide with a plain or scalloped cutter. Leave half whole for the bases. Cut a small heart, star or circle from the middle of the other half to make the lids. Count matching pairs and transfer them to the trays with 2 cm gaps. Gather scraps gently and re-roll once; bake tiny cut-out shapes separately because they cook faster.

4. Chill and bake the pieces

   Refrigerate the cut biscuits for 15 minutes while an adult heats the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / gas 5. Bake one tray at a time for 8–10 minutes, until the surface is set and the edges are just beginning to turn pale gold. Watch lids and tiny shapes closely, removing small shapes earlier if ready. Keep the second tray chilled while it waits.

5. Cool and prepare the jam

   Leave the biscuits on their trays for 5 minutes, then an adult moves them to a rack. Cool completely before filling. Stir the raspberry jam until smooth and spreadable; if it is very stiff, an adult can warm it briefly in a small pan over a low heat, then let it cool again. Dust the windowed lids with icing sugar before assembling, so the red centres stay clear.

6. Build the little windows

   Turn each whole base over so its flat underside faces up. Spread about ½ teaspoon jam over it, keeping a narrow border around the edge. Place a sugar-dusted lid on top and press very gently, just enough to join the pair without squeezing jam out. Leave for about 15 minutes before moving into a container. Make a small tasting plate and save the remaining biscuits for sharing.

From the table: Spitzbuben are a familiar Swiss Christmas biscuit: a tender sandwich with a little window showing the filling. Raspberry or redcurrant jelly is common; other smooth jams create different colours and flavours.

Buttery rounds 05 / 08

Sablé

Buttery little rounds with a delicate crumb and sparkling sugar edges

Sablé biscuits are a lovely quiet baking project: mix a soft dough, roll it into a log, then discover the neat circles hidden inside. Their name refers to a sandy, crumbly texture. This plain vanilla version leaves the butter flavour at the centre of the Christmas biscuit plate.

Let’s cook

1. Mix a soft butter base

   Wash hands and weigh the ingredients. Stir the softened butter and caster sugar together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla seeds or alcohol-free flavouring. There is no need to whip in lots of air: a smooth mixture helps the biscuits keep their shape.

2. Bring the dough together

   Add the flour and fold it through with a spoon until the mixture looks like damp crumbs. Press the crumbs together with clean hands. If the dough will not hold together, add the optional tablespoon of milk a teaspoon at a time; stop as soon as it forms a soft dough. Avoid kneading it like bread, and do not taste raw flour or dough.

3. Make and chill the logs

   Divide the dough in two. Roll each half into a log about 4 cm across and 15 cm long, using baking paper to help make the sides smooth. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until firm enough to slice without flattening. Wash hands and clean the work surface after handling the dough.

4. Add a sugar rim and slice

   An adult heats the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas 4 and lines two trays with baking paper. Brush the chilled logs very lightly with the teaspoon of milk, then roll them in the granulated sugar. An adult cuts each log into roughly 1 cm slices with a sharp knife. Arrange the rounds about 3 cm apart on the trays.

5. Bake until lightly golden

   Bake one tray on the middle shelf for 12–15 minutes, until the edges are pale gold and the tops look dry. Keep the second tray chilled while the first bakes. The biscuits should remain fairly pale; a deep brown colour means they are losing their delicate butter flavour. Bake the second tray in the same way.

6. Let the crumb settle

   Leave the biscuits on their tray for 5 minutes because they are fragile while hot. An adult transfers them to a wire rack to cool completely. Little chefs can count the cooled biscuits into a tin or arrange a few on a plate. Break one gently and look at its fine, crumbly texture.

From the table: Sablé is a French word used for tender, crumbly biscuits, and sablés also appear in Swiss baking. This plain version is a simple companion to the more strongly spiced Christmas biscuits.

A layered showstopper 06 / 08

Baumkuchen

An afternoon showstopper with fine golden layers and a dark-chocolate coat

This home-oven tree cake reveals its surprise when you cut a slice: many thin layers, like lines in a piece of wood. Our smaller, alcohol-free version is inspired by the Helvetic Kitchen Baumkuchen linked for this adventure. It is an adult-led project, with children helping to measure, count the layers and decorate the cooled cake.

Let’s cook

1. Prepare the tin and the almond base

   An adult checks the oven manual and chooses a 20 cm all-metal cake tin suitable for use under its grill; avoid glass, silicone, plastic parts and coatings not approved for grilling. Grease the tin and line only its base with a neatly fitted circle of greased foil. Do not use baking paper under the grill. Gently warm the marzipan with the cream in a small pan, stirring to soften it into a paste, then let it cool to room temperature.

2. Make a light batter

   Beat the 100 g softened butter and sugar until pale. Beat in the cooled marzipan paste, then the egg yolks one at a time, followed by the vanilla and orange zest. Sift the flour and cornflour together and fold them in. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to firm peaks. Fold a quarter into the batter to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest. Do not taste the raw batter.

3. Cook the first thin layer

   An adult preheats the grill to medium-high, following the oven's instructions for its door position, and sets a shelf so the cake surface starts about 15 cm below the element. Spread just enough batter to cover the tin base in a thin, even layer, about 2–3 mm deep; start with 4–5 tablespoons and adjust to the tin. Grill for roughly 3–5 minutes until the entire surface is set and golden. Watch continuously, because grill strength varies and the change from golden to burnt is quick.

4. Build the cake one layer at a time

   Using oven gloves, an adult sets the tin on a heatproof surface, spreads another thin layer of batter over the cooked one and returns it to the grill. Repeat until the batter is used, aiming for about 10–14 fine layers rather than a fixed number. Every layer must be set before the next is added. Rotate the tin if it colours unevenly, and lower the shelf if the rising cake gets too close to the element. Children can count the finished layers from a safe distance; only the adult handles the hot tin.

5. Glaze and cool the cake

   When the final layer is golden and set, insert a skewer into the centre: it should not bring out wet batter. If needed, switch off the grill and finish in the oven at 160°C / 140°C fan / gas 3 for 5–10 minutes, checking again. Warm the apricot jam with the tablespoon of water and brush a thin coating over the top. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then carefully release, remove the foil and cool completely on a rack for about 1 hour.

6. Add the chocolate coat

   An adult melts the chocolate and 25 g butter in a heatproof bowl over gently steaming water, with the bowl clear of the water. Stir until smooth, remove from the heat and let it thicken slightly for 5 minutes. Place the cool cake on a rack over a plate, spread the chocolate over the top and sides, and press the toasted almond flakes around the edge with clean hands once the glaze is comfortably cool. Leave to set, refrigerating for about 30 minutes if needed. An adult cuts thin slices to reveal the layers.

From the table: Baumkuchen originated in Germany and is also enjoyed in Switzerland. Traditional versions can be baked around a turning spit. A home-grill cake has horizontal layers instead; this alcohol-free adaptation follows that practical idea and credits the Helvetic Kitchen recipe supplied for the adventure.

Recipe inspiration: Helvetic Kitchen’s home-oven Baumkuchen. This Quesbo family adaptation is alcohol-free.

Chocolate-almond favourites 07 / 08

Brunsli

Dark chocolate-and-almond cut-outs with a soft middle and a sparkling edge

Brunsli bring chocolate, almonds and a little cinnamon to the biscuit tin. The dough is softer and stickier than butter-biscuit dough, so a rest in the fridge makes shaping much easier. Our family version is baked, uses pasteurised egg white and contains no kirsch.

Let’s cook

1. Mix the chocolate ingredients

   Wash hands. Combine the ground almonds, caster sugar, grated chocolate, cocoa and cinnamon in a bowl, breaking up any cocoa lumps. An adult grates the chocolate or handles the food processor if using one. Use pasteurised liquid egg white and follow its label's storage instructions.

2. Bring together a soft dough

   Stir in the egg white with a sturdy spoon until the dry mixture clumps together. Press gently into a dough. If dry patches remain and it crumbles rather than holds, add the water a teaspoon at a time; you may not need it all. The dough should be soft and tacky, not pourable. Do not taste the raw mixture.

3. Chill and roll evenly

   Flatten the dough into a disc, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Lightly sprinkle a sheet of baking paper with some granulated sugar, place the dough on it and cover with a second sheet. Roll to about 8 mm thick, keeping the depth even so all the biscuits bake at the same rate. Remove the top sheet and sprinkle the surface lightly with the remaining sugar.

4. Cut a festive collection

   An adult heats the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas 4. Cut small stars or hearts with cutters about 4–5 cm across and transfer to lined trays, leaving a little space between them. Gather scraps gently and reroll once. If the dough sticks badly, chill it for another 10–15 minutes instead of adding flour. Keep the second tray refrigerated while the first bakes.

5. Bake the chocolate shapes

   An adult bakes one tray on the middle shelf for 10–12 minutes. The outside should look dry and the shapes should be set, although the centres remain soft. Bake the next tray in the same way. Do not rely on the dark colour to show doneness: if a biscuit still looks wet or has a paste-like centre when checked after cooling briefly, give the tray another 2–3 minutes.

6. Cool before lifting

   Leave the biscuits undisturbed on the tray for 10 minutes so they firm up, then use a spatula to move them to a rack. Cool completely before tasting or packing. Little chefs can compare the textured sugar surface with the chewy chocolate middle, then count a few into a small gift tin.

From the table: Often called Basler Brunsli, these chocolate biscuits are associated with Basel. Recipes vary in their nuts and chocolate. This version uses almonds, both cocoa and dark chocolate, and a little water in place of kirsch.

Family chocolate treats 08 / 08

Boozy Balls — Alcohol-Free Family Version

Chocolate-orange biscuit truffles, with a separate adults-only option

We have kept the festive name, but the children's batch contains no alcohol. Ready-to-eat biscuit crumbs, dark chocolate and orange make soft little truffles that need chilling instead of baking. Children can crush, mix and roll once their grown-up has melted and cooled the chocolate.

Let’s cook

1. Make fine biscuit crumbs

   Wash hands. Put the digestive biscuits in a strong food bag, close it and crush them with a rolling pin until the crumbs are fine. Alternatively, an adult can use a food processor. Tip into a bowl and mix in the orange zest. These are already-baked biscuits: do not replace them with raw flour or uncooked dough.

2. Melt and cool the chocolate

   An adult puts the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently steaming water, keeping the bowl clear of the water. Stir until melted, then lift off the heat and let cool for about 5 minutes until comfortably warm rather than hot. Keep children away from the steam and hot bowl.

3. Mix a rollable chocolate dough

   Stir the melted chocolate mixture into the crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons of orange juice, mix well and let the crumbs absorb it for 2 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon a teaspoon at a time only if needed. The mixture should hold together when pressed, with no dry crumbs, but should not feel wet. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. Shape eighteen small balls

   Check that the mixture is cool and firm enough to handle. With clean hands, divide into eighteen similar portions and roll each into a ball about 3 cm across. If it becomes too soft, put it back in the fridge for 10–15 minutes. There is no need for perfectly identical spheres: a neat bite-sized shape is enough.

5. Choose a coating

   Put the cocoa and chocolate sprinkles in separate shallow bowls. Roll some balls in cocoa and the rest in sprinkles, pressing lightly so the coating sticks. Place in small paper cases if using. Children can choose a simple pattern for the plate, such as alternating dark cocoa and shiny sprinkles.

6. Chill, serve and keep batches separate

   Refrigerate the finished balls for at least 30 minutes to firm up. Serve small portions, letting them soften briefly if very cold. An adult can cut them into smaller pieces for younger children. If an adult-only batch has also been made, label it clearly, use a separate container and serving plate, and keep it away from the children's treats.

From the table: Rum-ball style sweets have many versions, including the nut-based Boozy Balls shared by Helvetic Kitchen. This Quesbo family adaptation uses biscuit crumbs and orange juice, so the main recipe contains no spirits and does not need baking.