**Pfeffernüsse: A Bite-Sized Treat with a Rich History and Delectable Variations**
Pfeffernüsse, also known as German pepper nuts, are delectable bite-sized cookies deeply rooted in German culinary traditions. These cookies are commonly associated with the Christmas season, adding a touch of warmth and nostalgia to festive gatherings. The name "pfeffernüsse" literally translates to "pepper nuts," although the cookies typically have a mild, sweet flavor rather than a spicy one. The unique blend of spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper, imparts a distinctive flavor that sets these cookies apart from other holiday treats. This recipe article offers a comprehensive guide to preparing pfeffernüsse, providing two variations - one with citron and one without - to cater to different preferences. Additionally, there's a section dedicated to creating a delectable glaze that adds an extra layer of sweetness and visual appeal to these delightful cookies. With step-by-step instructions, helpful tips, and a detailed ingredient list, this article ensures a successful baking experience, allowing you to recreate these classic German cookies in the comfort of your own kitchen.
PFEFFERNUSSE COOKIES
I have searched far and wide for a recipe that mimics my favorite, store-bought version of these cookies. I think, after days of thrown-out cookies, I have come as close as I can get.
Provided by Thebeansma
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European German
Time 3h
Yield 18
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Stir together the 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. Stir in the eggs.
- Combine the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cardamom, 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 (165 degrees C). 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 confectioners' sugar.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 284 calories, Carbohydrate 53.9 g, Cholesterol 20.7 mg, Fat 6.3 g, Fiber 1.1 g, Protein 3.7 g, SaturatedFat 1.4 g, Sodium 212.8 mg, Sugar 30.2 g
GERMAN SPICE COOKIES (PFEFFERNUSSE)
German for "pepper nut," pfeffernusse cookies are named for the pinch of pepper added to the dough before baking. It joins a quartet of warm spices -- cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes
Yield Makes about 60
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and spices. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, brown sugar, and molasses on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture; beat until just combined. Pinch off a heaping teaspoon of dough, roll into a ball, and place on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining dough, spacing balls 1 1/2 inches apart. (Dough can be frozen at this point, covered tightly with plastic wrap, up to 1 month.)
- Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are golden and firm to the touch with slight cracking, about 15 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Glaze: Fit a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, milk, and kirsch, if desired. Using a fork, dip each cookie in glaze to coat. Tap to remove excess glaze and place on wire rack to dry. Repeat with remaining cookies.
- To decorate: While the glaze is still wet, top cookies with a small pinch of peppercorns, if desired. Alternatively, let glaze dry completely before mixing together luster dust and kirsch with a small paintbrush. Lightly brush tops of cookies with luster dust mixture, if desired. Let dry before serving. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.
PFEFFERNUSSE (GERMAN PEPPER NUT COOKIES )
This is from Williams Sonoma and it has been a family favorite for years. It is a great twist on Gingerbread cookies.
Provided by Zookeenee
Categories Dessert
Time 59m
Yield 24 cookies
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, pepper, aniseeds, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg and cloves.
- In a large bowl, using an electic mixer set on medium speed, beat together the butter, brown sugar and molasses until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Beat in the egg.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate for several hours.
- Position a rack in the middle of an oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
- Butter 2 baking sheets, scoop up pieces of dough and roll between your palms into balls 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
- Place the balls on the cookie sheets spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom and firm to the touch, about 14 minutes.
- Transfer the baking sheets to racks and let the cookies cool slightly on the sheets.
- Place the confectioners' sugar in a sturdy paper bag, drop a few cookies into the bag, close the top securely, and shake gently to coat the warm cookies with the sugar.
- Transfer to racks and let cool completely.
- Repeat with the remaining cookies.
- Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
PFEFFERNUSSE
These nut-sized cookies are spiced with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and pepper. They are called Pepperkaker, in Norway.
Provided by Kristi
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European German
Yield 96
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in dry ingredients 1/2 cup at a time. Add almonds, if desired.
- Roll into one inch balls and arrange 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 11 to 14 minutes.
- Cool and store in airtight containers for 3 days to mellow flavors.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 50.7 calories, Carbohydrate 7.1 g, Cholesterol 7.7 mg, Fat 2.2 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 0.9 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Sodium 42.4 mg, Sugar 2.9 g
CHRISTMAS PFEFFERNUSSE COOKIES
I got this delicious German spice cookie recipe from a local newspaper. Instead of using light molasses like the recipe calls for, I use regular molasses beacause I like the darker color.
Provided by Cupcake-Princess
Categories Dessert
Time 22m
Yield 24-30 cookies
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, salt, baking soda, pepper, aniseeds, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed cream butter, sugar, and molasses until fluffy. Beat in egg. On low speed gradually add flour mixture and beat just until blended. Cover and chill dough for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease baking sheets. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch sized balls. Place balls two inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes.
- When cookies are cool enough to handle, but still warm roll in powdered sugar. Transfer cookies to cooling racks to cool completley.
PEPPERNUTS COOKIES (PFEFFERNUSSE)
These are a German Christmas Cookie. My husband had this recipe when I met him & I have been making them for about 30 years now. They are a small, hard cookie & are great! You form these into rolls about as big around as a dime & chill, then slice thin & bake. I usually make about 1000 of these to put in Christmas goodies boxes.
Provided by Peggi Anne Tebben
Categories Other Desserts
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- 1. Cream sugars and shortening well.
- 2. Mix in anise oil and egg.
- 3. Add coffee solution.
- 4. Add salt and spices to 1 cup of flour and sift.
- 5. Mix into batter.
- 6. Add ground pecans and enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough. *I've never had to use more than 6 cups of flour.
- 7. Roll into dime-size rolls, place on tray and chill.
- 8. Cut thin, spread on baking sheet and bake at 325° to 350° for 10 minutes or until hard.
PFEFFERNUSSE COOKIES II
A pfeffernusse cookie that can be cut into round shapes. Great at Christmas.
Provided by JJOHN32
Categories Desserts Specialty Dessert Recipes Liqueur Dessert Recipes Brandy
Yield 60
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Combine flour, baking powder, spices and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs until thick and light-colored. Beat in the lemon juice. Beat in the lemon zest. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Stir in the hazelnuts. Cover and chill for 4 hours.
- On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Using a 1 1/2 inch round cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place 1 inch apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover the baking sheets with clean towels and leave undisturbed for 4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Turn the cookies over and place a drop of brandy in the center of each cookie. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly colored. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 43.3 calories, Carbohydrate 8.3 g, Cholesterol 9.3 mg, Fat 0.7 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 0.1 g, Sodium 21.5 mg, Sugar 3.4 g
PFEFFERNUSSE III
A spicy holiday treat! Crisp and good with a cup of tea.
Provided by Kathy Plew
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European German
Yield 24
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Sift together flour, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in the orange rind and nuts.
- In a medium size bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thick. Blend in flour mixture to make a smooth dough.
- Roll dough into 1 inch balls, place onto ungreased baking sheets and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, until light brown.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 167.7 calories, Carbohydrate 30 g, Cholesterol 31 mg, Fat 4.2 g, Fiber 1.1 g, Protein 3.4 g, SaturatedFat 0.6 g, Sodium 53 mg, Sugar 16.9 g
PFEFFERNUSSE COOKIES
Steps:
- Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, mace, and pepper together. Beat eggs until light, beat in sugar until very light and fluffy. Mix in lemon peel and citron. Stir in dry ingredients. Break off small pieces of dough, and roll into 1 inch balls. Place cookies about 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheets and cover with wax paper. Let stand over night. Heat oven to 350. Bake 20 minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool. Roll in 10 x sugar to coat. Store in tightly covered container at least one week to mellow before eating.
MOMMY SUGAR'S PEPPER NUTS (PFEFFERNUSSE-PEBERNODDER)
From gingerbread to Linzer, German cookies are world famous and really special. These Pfeffernusse are no different. They're filled with fall spices, chopped pecans and a bit of citrus flavor from the orange zest and citron. Molasses gives the pepper nut cookie a wonderfully chewy texture. Typically these old-fashioned cookies...
Provided by Beth Carlton
Categories Cookies
Time 45m
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- 1. With a heavy duty mixer, blend together eggs and sugar. Beat until creamy.
- 2. Add molasses, vanilla, and orange zest. Beat 3-4 minutes on medium speed until well blended.
- 3. Measure 4 level cups of plain flour and reserve 1/2 cup for later. Sift together remaining 3-1/2 cups plain flour, baking powder, and spices.
- 4. In a bowl, coat candied citron and nuts with the reserved 1/2 cup of plain flour.
- 5. Slowly add flour and spice mixture to batter and blend on fold/low speed just until blended.
- 6. Gently fold in citron & nuts. Dough will be very thick and sticky.
- 7. Place dough in air tight container and refrigerate overnight. This allows your spices to combine together for maximum spiciness! :)
- 8. Roll dough out onto floured surface.
- 9. Cut out with cookie cutters OR drop by rounded spoonfuls and flatten out. Decorate as desired.
- 10. Place on a cookie-sheet coated with cooking spray or parchment paper.
- 11. Bake 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Edges should be slightly browned.
PEPPER NUTS PFEFFERNUSSE
Whether called Pfeffernusse in Germany, Pebernodder in Denmark or Peppernotter in Sweden, these spicy drop cookies are found throughout Northern Europe at Christmas time.
Provided by Olha7397
Categories Dessert
Time 40m
Yield 9 doz
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- FOR THE PFEFFERNUSSE: Beat eggs with both sugars until mixture is very thick and almost white. Add lemon rind, fruit, peel, and almonds and mix well. Sift flour with baking powder and spices and stir into egg mixture.
- Knead on a floured board until smooth. Shape into long rolls about 1 inch in diameter and cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices. Arrange on 3 or 4 large buttered cookie sheets and let DRY uncovered in a cool room or refrigerator overnight.
- Just before baking, turn over each cookie and sprinkle with rum, brandy, or arrack.
- Bake in preheated 300°F oven for about 20 minutes.
- Roll each cookie in confectioner's sugar while warm, or let cool and ice.
- These last for weeks if stored in an airtight container. Makes about 9 dozen cookies.
- VARIATION: Any of spices mentioned are optional and to taste. Candied fruits are usually omitted in Scandinavia and 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered ginger is substituted for pepper.
- In Pennsylvania Dutch country this dough (Pefferniss) is allowed to ripe at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, after which it is shaped into rolls, chilled and cut as described. It is then baked without being dried.
- FOR THE WHITE SUGAR GLAZE: For cookies and cakes, and especially for Lebkuchen.
- Combine sugar, cornstarch, flavoring and rum or brandy. Gradually stir in hot water, a tablespoonful at a time, until you have a smooth thick paste. Spread on warm cookies. If mixture cools and thickens as you work, thin with additional hot water. Sugar sprinkles can be scattered on the glaze before it hardens. Makes 1/4 cup, or enough to ice about fifteen 1 1/2 inch cookies.
- Visions Of Sugarplums.
PFEFFERNUSSE KUCHEN
These are some spicy little guys. This cookie is traditionally served with black coffee.
Provided by Judy
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European German
Yield 50
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and eggs together with an electric mixer for 20 minutes. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, cloves and pepper and stir them into the egg mixture. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Let the cookies sit out overnight to dry.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake the cookies for 10 to 15 minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container for a week to blend the flavors.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 73.1 calories, Carbohydrate 15.9 g, Cholesterol 14.9 mg, Fat 0.5 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 1.4 g, SaturatedFat 0.1 g, Sodium 5.9 mg, Sugar 9.1 g
CHOCOLATE PFEFFERNUSSE
I haven't tried this, but the combination of chocolate in pfeffernusse intrigues me. I thought I should put it here to try someday. The recipe comes from Christmas Baking: Traditional Recipes Made Easy by Christian Teubner. I'm guessing at the prep and cook times.
Provided by the_cookie_lady
Categories Dessert
Time 1h12m
Yield 80 cookies, 40 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Combine honey, molasses, brown sugar, and butter in heavy saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until butter melts and mixture begins to bubble gently. Remove from heat and lt cool 15 minutes. In large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, white pepper and mace.
- Add eggs to honey mixture, pour at once into flour mixture. Stir to form a dough. Add candied lemon peel, chopped almonds, and lemon rind; mix well. Divide dough in half. Wrap each half separately in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 1/2 hours, or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 baking sheets.
- Pinch off small pieces of dough (about heaping teaspoon size) and roll into balls. Place on cookie sheets about 2 1/2" apart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until done.
- Remove to cooling racks and cool completely.
- Melt chocolate in microwave or dutch oven (or temper if you know the technique). Dip cookies in melted chocolate and tap off excess on the rim of the bowl. Place on parchment paper or wax paper to dry.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 229.9, Fat 13.1, SaturatedFat 7.2, Cholesterol 15.4, Sodium 63.1, Carbohydrate 30.3, Fiber 3.7, Sugar 14.2, Protein 4.7
PFEFFERNÜSSE
Steps:
- 1. Stir together the 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. Stir in the eggs. 2. Combine the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cardamom, 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. 3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Roll the dough into acorn-sized balls. Arrange on baking sheets, spacing at least 1 inch apart. 4. Bake in preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes. Move to a rack to cool. Dust cooled cookies with confectioners' sugar.
Tips:
- Chill your dough: Chilling the dough before baking helps the cookies hold their shape and prevents them from spreading too much.
- Use a cookie press: A cookie press is a great way to get consistent, evenly-shaped cookies. If you don't have a cookie press, you can also roll the dough into balls and flatten them with a fork.
- Bake the cookies until they are just set: The cookies should be slightly firm to the touch, but still soft in the center.
- Let the cookies cool completely before storing them: The cookies will continue to harden as they cool.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature: The cookies will keep for up to 2 weeks.
Conclusion:
Pfeffernüsse are a delicious and festive holiday cookie that is sure to please everyone. With their unique flavor and texture, these cookies are a perfect addition to any cookie platter. Whether you are making them for a special occasion or just for a snack, these cookies are sure to be a hit.
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