Making Memories: German Pickles and Kransekake

The holiday season has a way of drawing us back to the kitchen, often described as the heart of the home. Whether it’s rolling out cookie dough, stirring a simmering pot, or setting the table together, cooking with family and friends becomes more than just preparing a meal. It’s a chance to slow down, share traditions, and create new memories side by side. In those moments, laughter and reminiscing mixes with the aroma of favorite dishes, and the simple act of cooking together reminds us that the holidays are about experiencing connection as much as celebration.

This year, we encourage you to gather loved ones to create a favorite recipe or to make a new tradition by giving a dish a try. Looking for sweet and savory options that exude nostalgia? Try these German pickles or make a beautiful Kransekake out of butter cookies, both of which are family traditions of Kerry L. Heinrich, Adventist Health President and CEO, and his wife Judy. Watch the video to learn how Kerry and Judy have continued to keep the traditions of his grandmother alive and then find the recipes below.

German Pickles

Ingredients

10 – 12 small, fresh Kirby cucumbers
8 – 12 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 – 3 jalapeños
1 tablespoon pickling spice (optional)
1/3 bunch of dill (tops, sturdier stalks removed)
1 black tea bag
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 quart water

Instructions

Wash and trim the blossom side of the cucumbers, then chill them in an ice bath for 20 minutes.

Dissolve 2 tablespoons of salt in 1 quart of water to make the brine.

Pack the cucumbers, tea bag, garlic, dill, peppers, and any spices into the fermentation jar. Pour over the brine to cover all the cucumbers. Add fermentation weight. Make sure the packed cucumbers are completely submerged when weighted.

Top with a lid and airlock. Let the cucumbers ferment for three days at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. Note that the brine will turn from clear to cloudy.

Taste pickles after three days. If you would like them to be more sour, leave for another one to two days before moving to the refrigerator. Pickles are ready to eat immediately and will keep in the fridge for two months.

Kransekake

Ingredients
142 grams confectioners’ sugar
255 grams salted butter, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, white reserved
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia, or flavoring of your choice
330 grams unbleached all-purpose flour

Instructions
Using a stand mixer with the flat beater attachment or a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, combine the sugar, butter, egg yolk, salt, and flavoring, beating until smooth. Add the flour, mixing until smooth. If the mixture appears too dry, add a sprinkle of water.

Divide the dough in half, shape into two flattened disks and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for two hours or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it soften for 15-20 minutes. It should feel cold, but not rock-hard.

Sprinkle the rolling surface and rolling pin with flour. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it 1/8” to 3/16” thick. Cut into desired shapes, re-rolling and cutting excess scraps.

Place the cookies on ungreased or parchment lined baking sheets. They can be close together.

Bake for 12 – 14 minutes until they are set and barely browned around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool right on the pan. When the cookies are completely cool, ice and decorate as desired.

A tip from Judy Heinrich: “I prefer to divide the dough in half and place each half into a Ziplock bag. Then, leaving the dough inside the bag, roll to desired thickness and place on a flat surface in the refrigerator. This eliminates the mess of flouring the counter and rolling pin. Simply remove a bag of rolled dough from the fridge and place on the counter. Unzip the bag and split the bag down each side. The dough is already the proper thickness and ready to be cut into shapes. After cutting, simply invert the flat dough onto the cookie sheet and remove the excess dough between the cut outs. Bake and decorate as above. Yum!”