Pfeffernusse Cookies

Rating: 4.68 stars
203 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 159
  • 4 star values: 29
  • 3 star values: 11
  • 2 star values: 2
  • 1 star values: 2

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.

By Thebeansma
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Ingredients

18
Original recipe yields 18 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Directions

  • 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.

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  • 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.

Partner Tip

Reynolds® parchment can be used for easier cleanup/removal from the pan.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
284 calories; 3.7 g protein; 53.9 g carbohydrates; 20.7 mg cholesterol; 212.8 mg sodium. Full Nutrition

Reviews (166)

Read More Reviews

Most helpful positive review

Essayons
Rating: 4 stars
01/11/2008
My only suggestions to make this recipe closer to Pfeffernusse made in Germany are: Use more pepper and use white instead of black. One and a half to twice the amount of pepper will give the "nuts" a real peppery zing. Also don't spare the XXXX sugar coating. Read More
Helpful
(290)

Most helpful critical review

Suzanne
Rating: 3 stars
12/21/2010
I have been told by all my relatives that pfeffernusse is a Dutch Advent treat. The spices are from the Dutch Indies - a way to show off all those spices that the Dutch were dealing in and affluent the family was. My recipes - Dutch and over 100 years old by several relatives - never use eggs and let the dough rest overnight in a cool place. Then the dough is rolled into ropes and the ropes sliced into small cookies about the size of a nut. Rolling into ropes then slicing it prevents working the dough too much. But if you use eggs then I guess it doesn't matter how much you work the dough. Read More
Helpful
(37)
203 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 159
  • 4 star values: 29
  • 3 star values: 11
  • 2 star values: 2
  • 1 star values: 2
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
Essayons
Rating: 4 stars
01/11/2008
My only suggestions to make this recipe closer to Pfeffernusse made in Germany are: Use more pepper and use white instead of black. One and a half to twice the amount of pepper will give the "nuts" a real peppery zing. Also don't spare the XXXX sugar coating. Read More
Helpful
(290)
jcis1013
Rating: 4 stars
10/26/2010
My problem is not the flavor of this recipe which was very good but the way it was put together. I would definitely change the order of mixing a bit. The recipe has you add the anise extract to the dry ingredients before the wet are added. This causes little unmixed bits of flower in the dough. Doesn't affect taste much but I'm a perfectionist and care about the aesthetics of it. I would follow the recipe as it says except leave the sugars and the extract out of the dry ingredients. Instead mix those into the wet after the egg is added then add the dry to the wet in installments and resume the recipe. 4 stars because the flavor is good and the recipe can be fixed with only a few tweaks. Enjoy. Read More
Helpful
(172)
Amy Matushak Plach
Rating: 5 stars
01/03/2008
Love these cookies! My mom had the store bought version so my family compared the two cookies. This recipie won by far. They have a wonderful spice that gets even better after a few days. The center stays soft and moist (even after freezing!) This recipe makes a large batch of cookies. Only change i made was that i rolled the cookie dough balls in powdered sugar before placing on baking sheet. Then before serving i dusted them with a little more powdered sugar. I will be making these every christmas! Read More
Helpful
(117)
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I82MANY
Rating: 5 stars
12/13/2010
Loved the recipe! Reminded me of Grandmas (she took her traditional german recipes to the grave with her). I added 1 teaspoon of allspice and changed the black pepper to white. The spice level turned out perfect. I have not been a fan of the powdered sugar coating. A reviewer on another site had an excellent glaze coating for the cooled cookies. Beat 1 eggwhite with 1 tablespoon of honey and 1/2 teaspoon anise extract. Gradually sift in 1 cup confectioner's sugar mixing until smooth. The other reviewer put a bit of glaze in a bowl with a few cookies and stirred until coated. I dipped the top of the cookies in the glaze and placed on a drying rack until coating hardens. Thanks again I am happy I am able to bring back an old tradition to the family Christmas. Read More
Helpful
(87)
renee rochow
Rating: 4 stars
09/10/2008
this is pretty close to my mums traditional german recipe. One suggestion though instead of black pepper use all spice. I haven't made pfeffernusse for a while because i moved away from home and don't have access to the recipe any more. Going through your recipe helped me to remember what was in my mums recipe. Thanks Read More
Helpful
(77)
Janedough
Rating: 5 stars
11/12/2010
Absolutely delicious! I added 1/2 cup butter instead of 1/4 cup margarine followed all the rest exactly as written in recipe. Just like my Aunt's in Germany! If you like ginger snaps...you will LOVE this cookie...think ginger snaps on steroids....FANTASTIC! Read More
Helpful
(44)
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druidfaerie
Rating: 5 stars
12/11/2011
Awesome recipe! Suggestions to omit pepper is not accurate. Pfeffer means 'pepper' in German and is an essential ingredient. I used I82Many's suggestion to use white pepper instead of white (black pepper may be why some reviewers suggest leaving it out...the switch to white is important) and added 1 tsp allspice. Add anise to wet ingredients not dry. While a glaze is nice it's not traditional. Toss in powdered sugar once completely cooled and set up. Read More
Helpful
(39)
Suzanne
Rating: 3 stars
12/20/2010
I have been told by all my relatives that pfeffernusse is a Dutch Advent treat. The spices are from the Dutch Indies - a way to show off all those spices that the Dutch were dealing in and affluent the family was. My recipes - Dutch and over 100 years old by several relatives - never use eggs and let the dough rest overnight in a cool place. Then the dough is rolled into ropes and the ropes sliced into small cookies about the size of a nut. Rolling into ropes then slicing it prevents working the dough too much. But if you use eggs then I guess it doesn't matter how much you work the dough. Read More
Helpful
(37)
jenski
Rating: 4 stars
12/24/2008
These are SO yummy! The only problem I had was that the dough was very very crumbly. I'll try and back off on the flour a bit next time but this is a definite repeat! Read More
Helpful
(25)
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