Pfeffernusse Cookies Recipe
Pfeffernüsse are German Christmas cookies spiced with black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and other spices. I have searched far and wide for a recipe that mimics my favorite, store-bought version of these cookies. After days of thrown-out cookies, I think I have come as close as I can get.
Ingredients
- ½ cup molasses
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup shortening
- ¼ cup margarine
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons anise extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Place molasses, honey, shortening, and margarine in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until creamy.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Beat in eggs.
- Combine flour, white sugar, brown sugar, anise, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, black pepper, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add molasses mixture; stir until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate dough until well chilled, about 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Roll dough into acorn-sized balls and place 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
- Bake in the preheated oven until firm to the touch with slight cracking, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets briefly before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust cooled cookies with confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container.