Neighborhood Gift Idea #14: Pfeffernusse


Okay so I’ll give you a major high five if you know what Pfeffernusse are. Basically, it’s a really delicious German spice cookie that my grandmother would bring us. Unfortunately, store bought these cookies are bland, stale, and pretty gross. So, I was really excited to find this recipe and try it out-to find out that they are FAB-U-LOUS! (So good, in fact, that I had to put them in the freezer so I’d stop eating them…for you know…breakfast, lunch, dinner…you get the idea.) If you have any German in you, or are wanting to try something different this year, this is for you! (This is actually what I made for my cooking club this month!)

FOOD STORAGE PFEFFERNUSSE

1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs (2 T. dry egg powder + 1/4 C. water)
4 cups all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons anise extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup powdered sugar for dusting

Stir together the molasses, honey, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until creamy. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in the eggs.

Combine the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cardamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, anise, cinnamon, baking soda, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Add the molasses mixture and stir until thoroughly combines. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Roll the dough into acorn-sized balls. Arrange on baking sheets, spacing at least 1 inch apart.

Bake in preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes. Move to a rack to cool. Dust cooled cookies with powdered sugar.

© 2012, Crystal. All rights reserved.

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  • Stephanie

    Relatives from Germany would send these every year for Christmas when I was growing up. I have to say these are better than I remember. Thanks for the recipe. Will definitely be making these every year.

  • Lori

    We made these at Christmastime and they are so good! It’s a cookie I always look forward to seeing for sale in the stores around the holidays . It was very satisfying to make our own, including grinding the wheat, and the kids enjoyed making them, as well. They were a big hit at my husband’s office, even with people who claimed to not like pfeffernusse.