This is the best Basler Brunsli recipe we have ever had. We found it while visiting Basel, Switzerland.
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VISITING BASEL SWITZERLAND
Basler Brunsli is a Chocolate Spice Cookie made with Nut Flour – named for the town of Basel Switzerland. A lovely town with a rich history. We stayed in the older part of town, next to the University which had a special charm. It was November, and there were already signs of the approaching holidays. Most importantly, the shops were selling Christmas cookies. Basel is famous for several cookies, which are actually named for the town.
I especially liked the Basler Brunsli, a chocolate spice cookie, that is perfect as a Christmas cookie. The name means “the little brown cookie from Basel”. Basler Brunsli are usually a small, thick cookie cut in the shape of a flower. The shop keeper explained that they use nut flour instead of wheat flour. Usually it was almond flour, but these were made of hazelnut flour.
CREATING THE BEST BASLER BRUNSLI RECIPE
When we returned home, I researched the recipe and created our own version. However, I thought a larger version in the shape of a bear would be appropriate, since the bear is an important symbol in Switzerland. The cookie is naturally gluten free, because it is made with nut flour and egg whites, similar to a macaron. I used hazelnut flour and orange liqueur. Very important to this recipe is allowing the cut out cookies to dry out for an hour before baking.
Basler Brunsli chocolate spice cookies
INGREDIENTS FOR THE BEST BASLER BRUNSLI COOKIE RECIPE
Use thebest ingredients. We have listed thebrands for some of the ingredientsbecause ingredients are everything. We have found that these brands give superior results. And by using brands like Horizon dairy products and organic sugarwe cut our carbon footprint in halfand are helping to control climate change.
SUGAR
We useWholesome organic sugar, because it is produced from sugar cane fields that are green cut and are not burned or treated with herbicides or synthetic fertilizers. Burning sugar cane fields contributes to air pollution andclimate change, and is a major cause of the destruction of the rain forest. Buying sugar from fields that are green cut helps prevent this destruction. The sugar also has a better taste because of how it is produced, but mostly we use it because it is a sustainable choice. It is more expensive than buying the standard brands, but the difference is only a few cents per recipe, so it’s worth it. We also save money bybuying this in bulkdirect from the company andstoring it in jars in the pantry.
CHOCOLATE
Using a high quality chocolate makes a really big difference. We useValrhona chocolate, because of the quality and because it’s an ethical choice.
SALT
We like the quality ofDiamond Kosher saltand don’t want the iodine taste. The weight and structure of salt varies between brands so it is important to choose a salt and stick with it to be consistent.
SPICES
Ordering spices in bulk from a spice dealer will give you a great price and the best quality. This will make a huge difference in your baking. We order most spices fromWorld Spice Merchants, because they carry a huge variety of top quality spices.
Basler Brunsli
I happened to have a stencil of a birch forest that I picked up at the art store. Dusting it with powdered sugar made a nice winter scene for the presentation.
HOW THIS RECIPE FITS INTO OUR PLAN TO EAT BETTER:
While looking for the best ingredients, we discovered that many companies that care about quality also care about sustainability. We had made a huge dent in our carbon footprint just by eating better. We have listed the brands for some of the ingredients because ingredients are everything. We have found that these brands give superior results. And by using brands like Horizon butter and Wholesome sugar we cut our carbon footprint (see:we cut our carbon footprint in half) and are helping to control climate change.
Photos by Tony Fitzgerald Photography