Spitzbuben

Jump to RecipeThis post may contain affiliate links.See my disclosure policy.Sweet and buttery almond shortbread cookies filled with red currant jelly and dusted with powdered sugar.

These traditional German Spitzbuben cookies are beautifully elegant and taste divine! Every Christmas a part of my heart of returns home to Germany where I’m from.And that’s because Christmas in Germany is something extra special.The sights, the sounds, the smells, the Christmas markets…and of course the baked Christmas goodies that Germany is world-renowned for.

German Christmas Cookies are especially beloved worldwide and today I’m going to introduce you to another traditional favorite, Spitzbuben.What Are Spitzbuben? Spitzbuben are Germany’s answer to Austria’s Linzer Augen and Great Britain’s Jammie Dodgers which all feature two shortbread rounds with a jam filling, essentially a jam-filled shortbread sandwich cookie.What sets Spitzbuben apart of jammie dodgers is its inclusion of ground almonds and lemon zest, and it’s different from Linzer Augen and jammie dodgers in its traditional use of red currant jelly for a delicately tart contrast to the sweet.

The German term Spitzbuben goes back to the 16th century when it was a colloquial term for a petty thief or minor criminal.Spitz refers to being sly or cunning and Bube means boy or male.It has since taken on a more humorous connotation to refer to a trickster or little rascal.

Spitzbuben cooki