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Pastries and Cookies

Classic Angel Eyes Cookies with Red Jam, Just Like the Old Days

by Lisa

Trained pastry chef

Round shortbread angel eyes cookies with a well of red jelly in the center, dusted with powdered sugar

4.9 (14)out of 5, 14 ratings

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Prep
5 min
Bake
20 min
Total
25 min
Makes
30

A few little balls of buttery shortbread dough, a well of red jam in the middle (in German, any jam, not only citrus marmalade; in the US use jam or preserves, seedless for a smooth spread; in the UK, jam, seedless for a smooth spread), and a hint of powdered sugar around it. For me, these are the cookies that simply have to be on every plate during Advent. In the pastry shop where I work they are also called Husarenkrapfen, by the way, but most people know them as Engelsaugen, which means angel eyes, and that is exactly what we are making together today.

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I make them the classic way with a simple shortbread dough: butter, sugar, flour, a little salt and flavoring. No marzipan (a sweet almond and sugar paste, sold as marzipan in the US and UK), no ground almonds, no chocolate. The buttery dough doesn't need any frills; the exciting part happens in the little well. And that is where my most important tip from the pastry shop comes in: warm the jam only very slightly before filling, not until hot, otherwise it bubbles over while baking and burns onto the edge of the baking sheet. Here is my recipe for classic angel eyes cookies with red jam:

Ingredients

Makes 30

  • 1 stick plus 1 tbsp125 gunsalted butterGerman butter is unsalted and has about 82 percent fat. In the US use unsalted butter (European-style unsalted butter is closest); in the UK, unsalted butter.
  • ½ cup60 gpowdered sugarVery finely ground sugar for icings and dusting. In the US use powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar); in the UK, icing sugar.
  • 1 ½ cups180 gall-purpose flourIn German recipes plain flour means soft wheat flour Type 405 unless stated otherwise. In the US use all-purpose flour; in the UK, plain flour.
  • ⅓ vialbutter vanilla flavoringGerman baking flavorings come in small vials of about 2 ml, so ⅓ vial is roughly ⅛ tsp.
  • 1 pinchsalt
  • 2 ½ tbsp50 gfruit jelly (preserve)red. A clear, smooth fruit jelly without pieces or seeds, such as red currant jelly. In the US use red currant jelly or another clear fruit jelly (not Jell-O); in the UK, redcurrant jelly or another jelly preserve (not jelly dessert).

Method

  1. All in! Knead all the ingredients except the fruit jelly into a dough, cover it and chill for about 90 minutes.

  2. Pinch off small pieces and roll them into balls. Place them on a large baking sheet (about 16 × 14 inches / 40 × 35 cm; a US half sheet pan, 18 × 13 inches, works too) lined with parchment paper.

  3. Use the end of a wooden spoon handle to press small holes into the balls. Don't push all the way through!

  4. Warm the fruit jelly in the microwave for a few seconds and drip it into the holes while it is still warm. Don't overfill them, otherwise everything bubbles over and burns

  5. Put them into the preheated oven and bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 10 to 14 minutes, until light golden.

  6. Dust with powdered sugar if you like, and enjoy.

Questions and answers

When does the jam go into the angel eyes cookies?
I always fill my angel eyes with the jam before baking. That way it soaks into the dough a little, and the well doesn't disappear as the cookies puff up. The only important thing is that the jam is slightly warm, so it flows in neatly and doesn't burn in the oven.
Can I make the dough the day before?
Yes, absolutely. The shortbread dough works really well made a day ahead. I wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. The next day, take it out and let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, otherwise it is hard to roll, and then carry on as usual.
Where do angel eyes cookies actually come from?
Angel eyes are a classic Christmas cookie with a long tradition, especially in Germany and Austria. In some regions they are also called Husarenkrapfen. I learned the recipe from my grandma myself, and I have been making them the way I show them here every Advent for years.
How long do angel eyes cookies need to bake?
I bake my angel eyes for about 12 to 15 minutes at 350°F (175°C) conventional (top and bottom heat). The important thing is not to go by the clock but by the color. As soon as the edges turn very lightly golden, take them out. Shortbread dough dries out very quickly if you miss the moment.
Why does the jam run out of my cookies?
If the jam runs out during baking, it was usually too hot or too runny when you filled the cookies. I warm it only slightly, just enough to soften it. It also helps to press the wells deep enough and not fill them to the brim. A small drop is enough; it spreads out while baking anyway.
Can I use a different jam?
Of course, you can use any jam you like. I think smooth seedless red jam looks prettiest, because the contrast with the pale shortbread dough looks really nice. But apricot, raspberry or red currant jam work just as well. The only important thing is that the jam isn't too chunky, otherwise it is hard to get into the little wells.