Brunsli are traditional Swiss Christmas cookies, mainly originating from Basel, hence the name Basler Brunsli. They are a symbol of Basel but have gained fame beyond the cantonal borders, becoming a Swiss “national cookie.”
The name comes from the Basel dialect “bruun” = “brown,” referring to the dark color of the cookies, due to cocoa, mixed with almonds and spices. Being flourless, they are naturally gluten-free.
The first historical references date back to the 18th century: the earliest known recipe appears in 1750 in the cookbook “Das süsse Basel.”
The first written document describing a “Brunsli” dates back to 1725, during a banquet for a pastor in Winterthur, where “five pounds of Brunsli” were served.
Over time, the recipe has undergone variations: during scarcity, part of the nuts was replaced with flour; in the past, glazing was common, but it’s less used today.
Traditionally, they were not only sold at Christmas: they were also made for weddings and other celebrations.
The Brunsli belong to the culture of Swiss “Guetzli” Christmas cookies along with other cookies like Lebkuchen, Mailänderli, Zimtsterne, Läckerli…
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 25 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Swiss
- Seasonality: Christmas
Ingredients
- 8.8 oz almonds
- 3.5 oz sugar
- 0.5 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (0.5 oz dark chocolate shavings)
- to taste ground cinnamon
- to taste ground cloves
- 2 egg whites
- 2 tablespoons kirsch (or lemon juice)
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- 1 Cookie Cutter Christmas
Steps
Chop and mix almonds, sugar, salt, cocoa (or chocolate), and spices in a bowl.
Whip the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the mixture, also adding the kirsch or water. Do not knead like shortcrust pastry: you need to achieve a soft and homogeneous dough.
Form a disk with the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour (or better overnight) to firm up.
Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment or sugar paper to a thickness of about 3/8 inch.
Cut out the desired shapes (stars, hearts, diamonds, classic traditional figures).
FAQ
Do Brunsli and Basler Läckerli share the Christmas tradition of the city of Basel, and what are the differences?
Yes, Brunsli and Basler Läckerli deeply share the Swiss Christmas tradition, particularly in the Basel region, but not exclusively.
Differences:
• Brunsli: soft cookies made with almonds, cocoa, and chocolate. They have a pastry-like consistency, with a mild spicy flavor. Homemade.
• Basler Läckerli: older, similar to a panforte or pain d’épices. Made with honey, candied peels, almonds, spices, often glazed. Hard, compact, cut into pieces. Also commercially available.
Commonalities:
• Both are historic and iconic Christmas sweets in Basel.
• Both have a nut and spice base.
• Prepared or gifted during the Christmas season, often in the same assortment of “Guetzli” (holiday cookies).
• Originated in monastic or bourgeois contexts and then spread among the population.
They are two sweet pillars of the German-Swiss Christmas tradition, often present together on cookie trays or at Christmas markets.
