Home
Miss Mary
Featured Recipe
Archived Recipes
Cookie Recipes
Quick Breads
Kitchen Conversions
Baking Tips
Share Ideas
Cookbooks

German Christmas Cookie Recipe
Pfeffernusse

Bookmark For the Love of Baking.com

Picture of a dish of Pfeffernusse spices

Every year this German Christmas Cookie Recipe for Pfeffernusse comes out of the recipe box and we are treated with the warm, almost sensual, flavor of exotic spices. This unique cookie is reminiscent of the Old Country, as my German Grandmother used to refer to her homeland. For many German American households, Pfeffernusse is a holiday tradition and mine is no exception. The children have yet to embrace the exotic spices of this traditional German Christmas Cookie; but I have faith that just like their mother, one day they too will be hooked. Pfeffernusse will store well in an airtight container. Traditionally, this German Christmas Cookie Recipe makes a rather hard cookie. If you prefer your cookies a little more on the softer side, you may place an apple slice in an open baggie inside the sealed container with the cookies. Change the apple every couple of days and don't allow the cookies to touch the apple slice.



1 Tbs. chopped crystalized (candied) ginger

1/2 cup slivered almonds

2-1/4 cups all purpose flour, divided

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. ground cardamom

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup unsulfured molasses

1 large egg

Approximately 2 cups confectioners' sugar to roll the warm cookies in


In the work bowl of a food processor, combine crystalized ginger, slivered almonds and 1/4 cup all purpose flour. Pulse until the mixture resembles course crumbs. In a gallon sized ziploc bag combine the almond-ginger mixture, the remaining 2 cups flour, salt, black pepper, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. Seal bag and shake well to evenly distribute the ingredients; set aside.

With an , cream together the butter, both sugars and molasses until light and fluffy; scraping down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula occasionally. Add the egg and beat well. With the at it's slowest speed, add the flour-spice mixture and beat only until combined. Scoop dough out into the flour-spice ziploc bag, seal the air out of the bag and refrigerate for several hours.

Preheat oven to 350º F. Make 1-1/2 inch balls of dough either with a cookie scoop or by pulling off pieces of dough and rolling them in the palms of your hands. Place dough balls on parchment lined baking sheets, allowing 2 inch spacing and bake until golden brown, approximately 13-15 minutes. Place confectioners' sugar in a shallow dish, such as a 9 inch pie plate. Allow cookies to cool only for a couple of minutes on the baking sheets; when you are able to pick them up without them crumbling, roll the still warm cookies in the confectioners' sugar and place onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.





I hope you enjoy my German Christmas Cookie Recipe. Do you have a favorite recipe that you would like to share with us? We would love to hear from you; please click here: Share Your Ideas


To Print out only the German Christmas Cookie Recipe; highlight it with your mouse, right click on the highlighted recipe. Choose the option PRINT. Change the Print Range from ALL to SELECTION. Press the PRINT button on the screen.






Top of German Christmas Cookie Recipe
 Return to Cookie Recipes Page
 Return to Archived Recipes
 Home For the Love of Baking



Google
 





Chinaberry Bug Logo 468x60





Photo credits:
Picture of a bowl of spices by HiDesignGraphics @ istockphoto.com
Picture of cookie dough hearts by PIKSEL @ istockphoto.com

footer for German Christmas Cookie Recipe page