Pfeffernusse Boxed and Ready To Gift
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Pfeffernusse Recipe: A Delicious Holiday Cookie

Last year I published the recipe for my family’s holiday favorite Soft Molasses Cookies. These are great cookies, but in terms of longevity, they are newcomers to the holiday cookie line.

Their German ancestor, Pfeffernüsse cookies, is maybe 100 years older than molasses cookies, dating back to at least 1753. Johann Fleischmann is said to have created the first Pfeffernusse recipe in the town of Offenbach am Main. The cookie became very popular and spread throughout Europe.

Now, these traditional German Christmas cookies are part of the holiday season. There is a National Pfeffernüsse Day celebrated this year on December 23.

The name Pfeffernüsse means peppernuts in English. The cookie was most likely named this due to all the spices that go into these delicate morsels. Also, the shape of the cookie is just about the size and shape of a walnut.

In 1820, the Brothers Grimm cautioned their sister not to eat too many of these little bites. “Don’t eat too many pepper nuts; they are said to cause a lot of heat!”  Back in the day, nutmeg was considered an aphrodisiac and cardamom invigorating.


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Here Are Some Items You Might Want To Have When Making This Traditional German Cookie.

A good set of baking sheets, like these air bake cookie sheets, will aid in conducting the heat consistently so your cookies cook evenly.

Air-Bake-Cookie-Sheets

Many baking recipes call for parchment paper to line your cookie sheets. This is not the most sustainable way to go if you bake a lot. Also, I find I’m always fighting to keep the rolled-out parchment flat. Ughh! Instead, I like to use Silpat sheets. These silicone baking sheets are reusable forever and clean up easily.

Silicone-Baking-Mats

German Spice Cookies – A Pfeffernusse Recipe

This recipe has a few different parts.

1: Prepare The “Wet” Ingredients

Combine the unsalted butter, molasses, honey, and dark brown sugar, in a small saucepan over medium heat. As the butter melts, so will the brown sugar. Stir to incorporate the ingredients, and allow the mixture to come to a low boil.

Melting Butter, Sugar, Mollasses & Honey

When small bubbles form, remove the sugar mixture from the heat and add the spices (ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, ground cloves, pepper, nutmeg, anise, and salt). Note: some people like to use white pepper some choose black pepper).

Remove From Heat Add Spices

Cool the molasses mixture to room temperature, then whisk in the egg. If you add the egg to the hot mix, you may scramble the egg.


2: Combine The Wet Ingredients With The Flour And Baking Soda

In a separate large bowl, combine all-purpose flour and baking soda. Use a wooden spoon to fold your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients rather than an electric mixer for the best results.

Place the cookie dough on a large sheet of plastic wrap and spread it out to form a rough square around 3/4 inch thick. Cover completely with plastic wrap and rest the cookie dough in the refrigerator.

Flattened Pfeffernusse Dough

You don’t want the cookies to spread out during baking. Starting the baking with cold dough will ensure a small round cookie. Let the cookie dough rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour. You can leave the dough in the fridge overnight if you would like.


3: Shaping The Dough Balls And Baking The Cookies

Have a baking sheet ready with the parchment paper or Silpat in place.

Take the dough out of the fridge, unwrap and place it on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 36 pieces (6 across and 6 down).

Cold Pfeffernusse Dough With Baking Sheet

Pick up one piece at a time and roll the dough between your hands to form a small ball. The dough is very sticky, so I like to wear vinyl gloves for this step. I generally roll all the dough at the same time. However, you will want to refrigerate the dough balls that don’t make it on your first sheet until you are ready to bake.

Once the dough ball is formed, place it our your baking sheet. Don’t crowd the cookies. Twelve dough balls at a time are about right. Place the cookie sheet in the oven (preset to 350⁰) and bake for 10 – 11 minutes.

Remove your peppernut cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack. But be careful here. Take a look at the next step to determine how to cool your cookies


4: Icing Or Tossing The Tiny Cookies In Confectioners’ Sugar

This last step is your preference. Do you want the hard icing coating you commonly see on the cookies you buy at the store? Or do you want the cookies to look like little snowballs simply coated with powdered sugar?

If you are icing the cookies, follow these steps. 1. Allow the cookies to cool completely. 2. Take your cooled cookies one cookie at a time on the end of a fork and dip them in the prepared bowl of icing. 3. Gently remove the cookie onto a clean piece of parchment paper or Silpat. 4. Leave the cookies on the Silpat until the icing has hardened.

For spicy cookies that look like snowballs, take each warm cookie and toss it in a bowl of confectioners’ sugar. Thoroughly coat the cookie and then cool it on a wire rack.

Pfeffernusse Cooling On A Wire Rack

By the way, confectioners’ sugar is just another name for powdered sugar. However, make sure there are no lumps in your sugar by sifting it first.



Pfeffernusse on My Santa's Cookie Plate
Yield: 36 cookies

Pfeffernusse Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Additional Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 31 minutes

Delicious little bites of sweet and spicy goodness.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Cup Butter
  • 1/2 Cup Firmly Packed Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Mollasses
  • 1/4 Cup Honey
  • 2 tsp Ginger
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Cardamom
  • 3/4 tsp Cloves
  • 3/4 tsp Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 egg
  • 3 Cups All Purpose Flour (360 grams)
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • Confectioners Sugar
  • Hot Water

Instructions

  • Combine the unsalted butter, molasses, honey, and dark brown sugar, in a small saucepan over medium heat. As the butter melts, so will the brown sugar. Stir to incorporate the ingredients, and allow the mixture to come to a low boil.
  • When small bubbles form, remove the sugar mixture from the heat and add the spices Stir to incorporate the spices and cool the molasses mixture to room temperature.
  • Whisk in the egg. Make sure the molasses mixture is completely cool otherwise the egg may scramble.
  • In a separate large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and baking soda. Then use a wooden
    spoon to fold your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients.
  • Place the cookie dough on a large sheet of plastic wrap and spread it out to form a rough square around 3/4 inch thick. Cover completely with plastic wrap and place the cookie dough in the refrigerator to rest for at least 1 hour.
  • Have a baking sheet ready with the parchment paper or Silpat in place.
  • Take the dough out of the fridge, unwrap and place it on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 36 pieces (6 across and 6 down).
  • Pick up one piece at a time and roll the dough between your hands to form a small ball.
  • I generally roll all the dough at the same time. However, you will want to refrigerate the dough balls that don't make it on your first sheet until you are ready to bake.
  • Once the dough ball is formed, place it our your baking sheet.
  • Don't crowd the cookies. 12 dough balls at a time are about right.
  • Place the cookie sheet in the oven (preheated to 350⁰) and bake for 10 – 11 minutes.
  • Remove your peppernut cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack. Take a look at the next step to determine how to cool your cookies.

If you are icing the cookies, follow these steps.

1. Allow the cookies to cool completely.

2. Take your cooled cookies one cookie at a time on the end of a fork and dip them in the prepared bowl of icing.

3. Gently remove the cookie onto a clean piece of parchment paper or Silpat.

4. Leave the cookies on the Silpat until the icing has hardened.

For spicy cookies that look like snowballs:

1. Take each warm cookie and toss it in a bowl of confectioners' sugar. Thoroughly coat the cookie and then cool it on a wire rack.

To Make The Icing:

Combine 1 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar with 3 - 4 tablespoons of hot water. Add the water slowly until you reach your desired consistency.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

36

Serving Size:

1 cookie

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 93Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 74mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 0gSugar: 8gProtein: 1g

Nutritional Information is an estimate and will vary depending on the specific ingredients used

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Storing You Pfeffernusse – The Perfect Christmas Cookie

Once the pfeffernüsse cookies have fully cooled, you should keep them in an airtight container. The peppernuts should stay fresh and yummy for a couple of weeks.


FAQ’s For Pfeffernusse

How long Can I Keep The Cookie Dough In The Refrigerator?

Your dough will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 2 days. So if you run out of time, no worries, you can bake the cookies later!


Can I Freeze The Cookie Dough?

Yes, you can freeze the cookie dough. Once you’ve rolled the balls, place them on a cookie sheet covered with parchment or a Silpat. Then place the whole lot in your freezer. When the dough is completely frozen (after about 2 hours), you can transfer the little balls to a freezer bag and keep them for up to six months.


Can I Freeze Homemade Pfeffernusse?

Again, yes! Freezing is a fantastic way to preserve this traditional cookie. If your family and friends have not already eaten all the cookies, simply put them in a freezer bag or airtight container and into the freezer. The cookies will keep this way for 6 months as well.


I’ve Seen Pfeffernusse Cookie Recipes That Have Other Ingredients.

You will see many different recipes for these flavorful cookies. Some include ground almonds and almond flour. Others have things like lemon or orange zest. It all depends on the taste of the baker.

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