Christmas baking with pine nut flakes: 3 recipes

Christmas is a time of magic, warmth, and, of course, incredible aromas that fill the home. And what could be better than adding a touch of something special and healthy to these festive scents?

Spiced pine cookies

Ingredients:

• 250 g flour
• 100 g pine nut flakes
• 150 g butter (at room temperature)
• 100 g sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons honey (liquid)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger
• Ground cloves pinch
• Baking powder 1 tsp
• Pinch of salt

How to cook:

Beat the butter with the sugar until fluffy, add the egg and honey, and mix.

In another bowl, combine the flour, pine nut flakes, spices, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, knead into a soft dough, adding a little milk or water if necessary.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30-60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll out the dough to a thickness of 0.5 cm, cut out cookies with cookie cutters, place on a baking sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack, decorate with icing or powdered sugar if desired.

Pine cake with dried fruit

Ingredients:

• 200 g flour
• 80 g pine nut flakes
• 120 g butter (at room temperature)
• 150 g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 100 g sour cream (or natural yogurt)
• Dried fruit (raisins, dried apricots, cranberries) 150 g (soak in hot water or rum/cognac for 15 minutes, then dry and chop)
• Baking powder 1.5 tsp
• Pinch of salt
• Zest of 1 lemon or orange (optional)

How to cook:

Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, add the eggs one at a time, beating well. Add the sour cream/yogurt and zest, mix.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, pine nut flakes, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture, stirring gently with a spatula until smooth. Add the dried fruit and distribute evenly.

Grease the pan with oil, sprinkle with flour, or line with parchment paper. Pour in the batter and bake at 170°C for 50-60 minutes, checking for doneness with a skewer. Cool in the pan, then on a wire rack. Decorate with icing or powdered sugar, if desired.

Christmas pine gingerbread cookies

Ingredients:

• 300 g flour
• 70 g pine nut flakes
• 100 g butter
• 150 g honey (liquid)
• 50 g sugar
• 1 egg
• Ground cinnamon 1 tsp
• Ground ginger 0.5 tsp
• Ground cardamom 0.25 tsp (or a pinch)
• Baking soda 0.5 tsp
• A pinch of salt

How to cook:

In a saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, and butter, and heat over low heat, stirring until the sugar and butter dissolve. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, pine nut flakes, salt, baking soda, and spices. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg. Pour the warm honey and butter mixture and egg into the flour mixture and knead the dough with a spatula or your hands until smooth. It may be slightly sticky.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a thickness of 0.5-0.7 cm, cut out gingerbread cookies with cookie cutters or cut into squares/strips.

Carefully transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden around the edges; the gingerbread cookies will remain soft inside. Cool on the baking sheet, then on a wire rack. Decorate with icing or powdered sugar if desired, or leave plain – the taste and aroma of the gingerbread cookies are wonderful on their own.