German ‘ peppernuts’ Pfeffernusse cookies

Name: German ‘ peppernuts’ Pfeffernusse cookies
Prep time: 2 h 3 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 4 h 3 min
Cuisine: European, German
Ingredients: ½ cup molasses; ¼ cup honey; ¼ cup shortening not butter, it spreads; 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; Kroger® Ground Cinnamon; Mix with sugar for hot cereals, waffles, pancakes, muffins.; 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

9 steps

Prep:2h 3minCook:2h

Updated at: Wed, 13 Dec 2023 19:13:20 GMT

Ingredients

18 servings

½ cupmolasses

¼ cuphoney

¼ cupshortening

not butter, it spreads

¼ cupmargarine

2eggs

large

4 cupsall-purpose flour

¾ cupwhite sugar

½ cupbrown sugar

2 teaspoonsanise extract

2 teaspoonsground cinnamon

Ground Cinnamon

sugar

Mix with, for hot cereals, waffles, pancakes, muffins

1 ½ teaspoonsground cardamom

1 ½ teaspoonsbaking soda

1 teaspoonground cloves

1 teaspoonground nutmeg

1 teaspoonground ginger

1 teaspoonground black pepper

½ teaspoonsalt

1 cupconfectioners'sugar

for dusting

Instructions

Step 1

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.

Step 2

Place molasses, honey, shortening, and margarine in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until creamy.

Step 3

Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Beat in eggs.

Step 4

Combine flour, white sugar, brown sugar, anise, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, black pepper, and salt in a large bowl.

Step 5

Add molasses mixture; stir until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate dough until well chilled, about 2 hours.

Step 6

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Step 7

Roll dough into acorn-sized balls and place 1 inch apart on baking sheets.

Step 8

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.

Step 9

Dust cooled cookies with confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container.