German Spice Cookies

These German Spice Cookies are so moist, chewy, and delicious! They’re gluten free~a delicious treat for the holidays!

For those of you who have already started my December Fitness Challenge, surely you deserve a cookie {or two} for all your hard work!

And, for those of you not doing the challenge…

It’s the holiday season and I CAN’T deny you a cookie, but promise me, pretty please, that you’ll try and get some good workout sessions in this holiday season.

Promise?

Miss Hull was my Grandpa VJ’s and Grandma Edith’s {now you know where I get my name!} book keeper for many, many years, at their family business, Precision Wire Products . {If you’ve ever shopped for groceries, and I’m hoping most of you have, you’ve probably used one of their shopping carts.}

I don’t remember much about Miss Hull, other than she was a super nice lady, and, without a doubt, she made some of my favorite cookies.

Studded with nuts and fruit, and deeply scented with cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, these cookies are perfect for the holidays.

My version has undergone a couple of changes…

First, and most importantly, I have made them gluten-free, so I can eat them.

And second, I omitted the candied fruit, raisins, and citron, for two simple reasons…

  1. My children do not care for raisins in their cookies.
  2. I could not find any candied fruit or citron at the grocery store when I made these cookies yesterday.  {Although I heard from my father today that Bristol Farms carries candied fruit, and I also heard from SiSi and Big Tex’s friend, Jake, that the local CVS Pharmacy carries candied fruit. Candied Fruit at the Pharmacy? Who would of thunk???}

Here’s Miss Hull’s recipe, with my gluten-free substitutions in orange…

Miss Hull’s German Spice Cookies

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon sour cream {I used milk since I was out of sour cream}
  • 1/2 cup cane sugar
  • 4 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 1/4 cup flour {Gluten-Free Option: 1 1/2 cups sorghum OR brown rice flour, plus 1/2 cup potato starch, plus 1/2 cup tapioca flour, plus 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum}
  • 1/2-1 cup chopped nuts {I made 1/2 a batch with chopped pecans, and 1/2 a batch without nuts}
  • 1/2 cup chopped raisins {optional}
  • 1/4 cup chopped candied fruit {optional}
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped citron {optional}

Instructions: {These are Miss Hull’s original instructions, short but sweet!} Cream butter and sugar.  Add cream, molasses and eggs.  Add rest of ingredients.  Chill dough.  Break off bits of dough and flatten down 3 inches apart on greased baking sheet {or on parchment paper}.  Bake 12 minutes in moderate oven. {I took this to mean 350 degrees}.

Eat!

Fill your cookie jar!

Eat some more!

My tasters included hubby, our friends, Jen and Tom, Big Tex, and Big Tex’s friends Chase and Jake.  Everyone gave the cookies a BIG thumbs up!

And, for an extra dose of sweetness, check out this photo of Max, my in-laws new puppy!

Happy Holidays!

What are your favorite holiday cookies? If you have kids, do they like raisins in their cookies? Do you have a cookie jar?  Getting any new pets this holiday season???

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23 Comments

  1. Miss Hull’s German Spice Cookies | The Spicy RD

  2. Elizabeth @Mango_Queen says:

    Oh my goodness, I nearly died staring at these delish german spice cookies! They’re irresistable! Love your pretty photos, too!

  3. kellie@foodtoglow says:

    Those cookies look so enticing! I do a similar Swedish one (heritage) but we put pepper and lots of ginger in them – very spicy! We aren’t big sweet eaters but your cookies really do look good. Thanks so much for sharing these, and the photo of Max – adorable!

  4. Nicole, RD says:

    Which do I want more…one of thse cookies or Max? 🙂

  5. Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says:

    Now when I grab a wire shopping cart I’ll be thinking of your grandparents!

  6. yum adore German cookies love the snaps of them getting eaten he he

  7. Jennifer (Delicieux) says:

    My fiance would love these!!! They look really delicious. I love the spices.

  8. Wow… great recipe! I love a spice cookie. After all these cookies I need to check out your fitness challenge!

  9. juniakk @ mis pensamientos says:

    these look delicious EA! i love GF and anything full of nuts! i love the texture of it too, no deflated gf cookie here!

  10. Karriann Graf says:

    I bet these would be tasty dipped in some hot tea! I thought I had already commented yesterday? Needless to say I am back again 😉 Your Spicy Cookies look awesome!

  11. Great looking cookies. Still sticking with the fitness challenge. My fave holiday time cookie is PB with the Hershey kiss on top, and of course ginger bread. No new pets for us. We are only allowed 2 on base and we are fully stocked. But that is one cute puppy they got there.

  12. Lauren Slayton says:

    For the record, I have grocery shopped before 🙂 Second, Edith and what’s the “A” in EA or are you just EA I’ve always wondered. As for cookies, I would gladly eat these, baking and I haven’t become friends yet but this recipe is possible/not to scary.

  13. The Wimpy Vegetarian says:

    I love spice cookies and these look just delicious! And I LOVE your cookie jar! It’s beautiful!!

  14. I am very fond of spiced cookies… this recipe is superb! loved the pictures too…great to be hosting #cookielove with you. Your puppy is adorable.

  15. Regan @ The Professional Palate says:

    I love, love, love family or old time friend recipes! I recently found my grandmother’s recipe box in her old home (she passed away 10 years ago… we’re a little slow on going through things. Hard to believe, no?)

    The molasses make me think Christmas cookie for sure. Wish we could enjoy one together over coffee 😉

  16. Reem | Simply Reem says:

    These cookies look really delicious!!!
    I love how beautiful spices and all the wonderful ingredients are combined here to make these to die for goodness.
    B/W your puppy is adorable.

  17. Gina (The Candid RD) says:

    You succeeded in getting me in the mood for a cookie! Nick and I just sanded cabinets for four hours, so a cookie (and milk) sounds wonderful. I wonder if these cookies would work with oat flour or brown rice flour. Those are the only two gluten free flours I’ve worked with, and they always seem to work perfectly.

  18. Holy cow, you had me at spice. These look utterly awesome, I’ll have to make them.

    Also, I love the photography you did for this recipe, really creative!

  19. These are simply beautiful and even more so with the story of where they came from – I just love reading your posts and am always inspired by your recipes. I have not tried gluten-free baking yet but these certain will be on the list when I dive in 🙂

  20. Jackie @ Vegan Yack Attack! says:

    These looks terrific! I love how you can really make them your own with all of the optional additions. Nice to see you through #cookielove, hosting so far has been a blast!

  21. Laura @ The Art of Cooking Real Food says:

    Beautiful spice cookies! Thanks for posting a gluten free version – my dad is avoiding gluten and he loves molasses and spice cookies.
    And Max is beautiful, too 🙂

  22. Kristen (swanky dietitian) says:

    This cookies look just delicious!
    And I love that puppy. He is adorable!
    I haven’t gotten into holiday baking just yet but I really need to after seeing all this yummy recipes!

  23. Lora @cakeduchess says:

    Oh I love these gorgeous spice cookies. I’m amazed with your grandparents’ business and how cool is it that this is their bookkeepers’ recipe. It makes it more special. Max is just adorable! xx