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    Home » Desserts

    Hanseaten - German iced cookies

    Published: Feb 9, 2022 · Modified: Jan 22, 2025 by Marita Sinden · Leave a Comment

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    Hanseaten COokies

    These German iced cookies are called Hanseaten. Not only are they beautiful to look at, with their red and white icing, but they also have an interesting history. These cookies are part of traditional North German cuisine, but they are also a great gift for Valentine's Day.

    Heart Shaped German cookies, surrounded by flours with a pot of jam.
    Jump to:
    • What were Hanseaten?
    • How to make them
    • Storage Instructions
    • More German Cookie Recipe
    • More Ideas for German Valentine's Day Recipes
    • Recipe

    What are Hanseaten Cookies?

    Hanseaten is North-German cookies that consist of two shortbread biscuits sandwiched between a thin layer of either raspberry or strawberry jam. The top cookie is iced with a red and white glaze. The shape is either round or heart-shaped.

    This cookie was invented in Lübeck by the pastry maker Heinrich Schabbel at the end of the 19th century. The name "Hanseat" is honouring the hometown of Heinrich Schabbel, "Lübeck". It is one of the three Hanseatic towns in Germany. [source: Wikipedia: Hanseaten Gebäck]

    The flag of the Hanseatic City of Lübeck

    The pattern of the icing is reflecting the colours and pattern of the Hanseatic flag - red and white.

    You will find these cookies in bakeries around Hamburg, Lübeck and Bremen.

    What were Hanseaten?

    The term "Hanseat" refers to a member of the upper class of one of the three Hanseatic towns: Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck. Their rank was often equal to that of nobility in other European countries and would consist of the likes of mayors, senators, and senior pastors.

    How to pronounce

    As an English Speaker, you pronounce Hanseaten as HAN-SEA-AH-TEN.

    German Heart cookies iced in red and white. With Jam.

    How to make them

    Equipment

    • cookie cutters (heart-shaped or round)
    • baking parchment
    • non-stick silicon baking mat (affiliate link) (optional)
    • icing bags

    Ingredients:

    (make sure to check the printable recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities)

    • flour Germany Type 405, UK plain flour, USA pastry flour
    • butter cold, diced, and unsalted
    • egg yolks - these will help make the cookie nice and crumbly, but also make it easier to roll the dough.
    • icing sugar/ confectioners sugar
    • vanilla sugar (can be substituted with 1 teaspoon vanilla flavour)

    To decorate

    • ½ jar raspberry jam
    • icing sugar/ confectioners sugar
    • Juice from one lemon
    • Food colouring

    Recipe Steps

    Making the cookies

    icing sugar being sifted into flour. egg yolks in flour. butter in flour.
    1. Place the flour on a non-stick baking mat. Sieve the icing/confectioner sugar on the flour. Add the vanilla sugar.
    2. Add the butter and egg yolks, and knead the mixture to a smooth dough.
    3. Wrap the dough in clingfilm. Place in the fridge and leave to rest for approx 30 minutes.
    4. Preheat the oven to 180°C or 356°F top to bottom heat. Line a baking tray with parchment.
    cookie dough, and cookie dough rolled out.
    1. Dust your work surface with flour. Using a rolling pin (affiliate link), roll out the dough to approx 3 mm thickness. As the dough can be sticky use the cling film, you used to wrap the dough in by placing it over the dough. this will prevent it from sticking to the rolling pin (affiliate link).
    2. Cut out hearts, or round shapes with a cookie cutter. Place them on the prepared baking tray.
    3. Bake for approx 12 minutes. Remove the biscuits from the oven and leave to cool down.

    Icing the cookies

    1. In the meantime mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice to a thick paste. If it gets too liquid, add more icing sugar. If it gets too dry you can add a little bit more lemon juice.
    a bowl of blue and white icing and a cookie with half of the heart iced pink.
    1. Divide the icing into two portions. In one, place a couple of drops of red food colouring and mix.
    2. Divide the cookies into two piles. One will be for the tops, one for the bottoms. To decorate the cookies, I found it easier to first decorate the tops, and then wait for them to dry before sandwiching them with another cookie.
    3. You can either pour the icing, in an icing bag each. This will give you a more precise result. Alternatively you can spread the icing with a spoon and a knife. Cover one half in white icing and the other in red icing. Leave to set.
    4. Place a tiny scoop of jam on the bottom cookie. Make sure the sides are not covered, as otherwise, they might squeeze the jam out of the sides when you place the top cookie on top.
    5. Add the top cookie onto the bottom. And they are ready to serve.

    Storage Instructions

    Store the cookies in an airtight container. They should last 2 weeks. This way they will stay moist, soft and crumbly. You can store them for even longer if you leave the assembly for when you want to serve them.

    Iced Sugar cookies with jam.

    More German Cookie Recipe

    • Heidesand - German Shortbread Cookies
    • Easy Marzipan Cookies
    • Spitzbuben
    • Bethmännchen
    • German Butter Cookies

    More Ideas for German Valentine's Day Recipes

    • German Waffles Heartshaped
      Basic Recipe for German Waffles
    • Pretzel-Heart
      Easy Heart Shaped Pretzels for Valentine's Day
    • Lebkuchenherzen (German Gingerbread hearts) on a bavarian blue and white napkin. The hearts are decorated with blue icing. The inscription say "Danke (Thank you) "Prost" Cheers" And Oktoberfest
      Lebkuchenherzen Recipe- German Gingerbread Hearts

    Recipe

    German Heart cookies iced in red and white. With Jam.

    Hanseaten- German Iced Biscuit

    Marita
    These are traditional north-german cookies that are perfect with a cup of coffee or Valentine's Day
    5 from 1 vote
    I look forward to your feedback. Just click the stars above.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 12 minutes mins
    Cook Time 12 minutes mins
    Resting Time and Decorating 1 hour hr
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine German
    Servings 20 cookies
    Calories 188 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the biscuits

    • 100 g powdered sugar
    • 250 g all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 200 g butter cold
    • 2 egg yolks from medium eggs at room temperature

    To decorate

    • ½ jar raspberry jam
    • lemon juice of 1 whole lemon
    • 200 g powdered sugar
    • Red food colouring
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Place the flour on a non-stick baking mat. Sift the powdered sugar on the flour. Add the vanilla extract (affiliate link).
      100 g powdered sugar, 250 g all-purpose flour, 2 egg yolks
    • Add the butter and egg yolks and knead the mixture to a smooth dough.
      1 teaspoon vanilla extract (affiliate link), 200 g butter cold
    • Wrap the dough in clingfilm. Place in the fridge and leave to rest for approximately 30 minutes.
    • Preheat the oven to 180°C or 356°F top to bottom heat. Line a baking tray with parchment.
    • Dust your work surface with flour. Using a rolling pin (affiliate link), roll out the dough to approximately 3 mm thickness. As the dough can be sticky, use the cling film you use to wrap the dough. Place it over the dough. This will prevent it from sticking to the rolling pin (affiliate link).
    • Cut our heart or round shapes with a cookie cutter. Place them on the prepared baking tray.
    • Bake for around 12 minutes. Remove the biscuits from the oven and leave to cool down.

    Icing the cookies

    • In the meantime, mix the powdered sugar with the lemon juice to a thick paste, adding the lemon juice in small amounts. If it gets too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it becomes too dry, add a bit of lemon juice.
      lemon juice, 200 g powdered sugar
    • Divide the icing into two portions. Place a couple of drops of red food coloring in one and mix.
      Red food colouring

    Assemble

    • Divide the cookies into two piles. One will be for the tops, one for the bottoms. To decorate the cookies, I found it easier to decorate the tops than to wait for them to dry before sandwiching them with another cookie.
    • You can either pour the icing into an icing bag for a more precise result. Or you can spread the icing with a spoon and a knife. Cover one half in white icing and the other in red icing. Leave to set.
    • Place a tiny scoop of jam on the bottom cookie. Make sure the sides are not covered; otherwise, they might squeeze the jam out of the sides when you place the top cookie on top.
      ½ jar raspberry jam
    • Add the top cookie onto the bottom. And they are ready to serve.

    Notes

    Store the cookies in an airtight container. They should last 2 weeks. This way they will stay moist, soft, and crumbly. You can store them for even longer if you leave the assembly for when you want to serve them.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 188kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 73mgPotassium: 18mgFiber: 1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 276IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword german iced biscuits, hanseaten biscuits, hanseaten cookies
    Did you make this recipe? I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Please leave a quick Comment and star rating. I appreciate your feedback.

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    Hi, I'm Marita

    Food enthusiast & home cook. I returned to Germany after living in the UK for 20 years. Here at My Dinner, you will find traditional and authentic German recipes with cultural backgrounds.

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