How To make Pfeffernuesse(Pepper Nut Cookies)
3 c Flour, sifted
1 t Baking Powder
1/4 ts Salt
1/2 ts Cinnamon
1/4 ts Allspice
1/4 ts Ground Cloves (done by hand,
-if poss, for stronger -taste) 1/4 ts Nutmeg ("Yuch!", Grandma
-always "forgot" to add it) 1/4 ts Mace
3 Eggs, beaten light
3/4 c Sugar
Juice and grated rind 1 -Lemon 2/3 c Chopped Nuts
Measure flour and sift with baking powder, salt, and spices. Add sugar slowly to beaten eggs and stir in lemon juice and grated lemon rind. Add dry ingredients and nuts and mix well. Refrigerate 2 hours. Roll out 1/2" thick and cut with tiny cutter 3/4" round. Let
cookies stand over night in cool place on ungreased cookie sheet. Just before baking, put a drop of brandy on each cookie. Bake brandy side up [don'tcha just love it?] in 300 deg F oven for 1/2 hour. Cool thoroughly and place in tightly covered jar.
How To make Pfeffernuesse(Pepper Nut Cookies)'s Videos
Pfeffernusse Cookies Video
Pfeffernusse Cookies: these German holiday cookies are similar to American gingerbread cookies, but are filled with extra spices and tossed in powdered sugar!
History of the Peppernut
Where do they come from? Who came up with the idea? A deep-dive into Holland's most favourite cookie.
Pfeffernüsse - German Spice Christmas Cookies | Food Wishes
The name translates to “pepper nut,” which sounds odd when you consider the original recipe didn’t call for pepper or nuts, but that aside, these are ridiculously good, surprisingly easy, and I think they are the best Christmas cookie ever. Enjoy!
For the fully formatted, printable, written recipe, follow this link:
To become a Member of Food Wishes, and read Chef John’s in-depth article about Pfeffernüsse, follow this link:
You can also find more of Chef John’s content on Allrecipes:
German Mennonite Peppernuts | pfeffernusse cookies
FULL RECIPE ►
SUBSCRIBE ►
BETTER BAKING SCHOOL ►
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ORDER THE BAKER BETTIE COOKBOOK!
Amazon-
Bookshop-
Barnes and noble-
Chapters indigo-
Indiebound-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRODUCTS USED IN THIS RECIPE (affiliate links)
Metal Bench Scraper:
Hand Mixer:
Glass Mixing Bowl:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOLLOW ME ON:
Facebook:
Instagram:
Email Subscription:
Website:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
INGREDIENTS:
2 sticks (1 cup, 224 gr) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (336 gr) dark brown sugar, lightly packed
2 large eggs
2 1/2 tsp anise extract (this is traditional in this recipe, but can be left out if you do not like anise. I have made them without several times and they are still delicious)
1/4 tsp table salt or Morton kosher salt (use 1/2 tsp if using Diamond kosher)
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp ground cardamom or clove (clove is more traditional, but I prefer the flavor of cardamom)
3 1/2 cups (420 gr) all purpose flour (measured properly-lightly spooned into measuring cups without packing in and leveled off)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peppernuts (or Pfeffernusse Cookies) are a traditional German cookie often made in Mennonite communities in the US. They are a very delicious, tiny, crunchy cookie filled with warming spices and are perfect for gift giving during the holidays!
Growing up in Kansas, there was one particular cookie that was a staple at every holiday event: Peppernuts. The area where I grew up (Hutchinson, KS) has a fairly large population of German Mennonite and because this is a traditional German recipe, these addictive little cookies are very popular during the holidays.
My family in particular did not make these amazing cookies, rather we would often receive them as gifts from various other people. The cookies from each person we received them from would have a slightly different flavor, and I personally loved them all. It seems each family’s recipe has a different variation on the spice combination, and in talking to friends from my hometown who do have family recipes, they are quite opinionated and passionate about what should go into them!
The one main ingredient that seems to have a general consensus from the group is that anise (most recipes use anise oil) is an absolute must in a true peppernut. Beyond that, most recipes use ground cinnamon and ground ginger, and then others add various combinations of cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and some use ground nuts or nut flour.
One ingredient that I was surprised wasn’t a unanimous “absolutely yes” from the group, is the use of white pepper in the cookies. I have always added it to mine and had believed this is where the cookies got the “pepper” part of their name and really what makes them so unique and special. But I learned that this ingredient is also controversial. About half use pepper and half do not. I am very much on Team Pepper in these special little cookies!
#christmascookies #bakerbettie #baking
Pepper Nuts Cookies
Pepper Nuts Cookies for the Holidays.
You can learn more about Ooma's at
Music used in this video is generated by Sonic Fire Pro from SmartSound. For information about music licensing, refer to:
Pfeffernuesse - Authentic German Christmas Cookies aka pepper nuts
Pfeffernüsse aka pepper nuts are delicious German Christmas cookies with fine spices. This is a quick German classic Lebkuchen recipe to enjoy during the Advent season and the Christmas holidays.
You can find the recipe here: