Pfeffernuse Cookies. Roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar. Not a sweet treat but a wonderful spicy cookie. My husband loves Pfeffernusse and I had never made them.

Similar to a gingerbread cookie in fragrance, the anise in these cookies is the dominant flavor, with the cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and black pepper vying for the next spot in line. Also called Peppernut Cookies, the pepper doesn't make these cookies spicy, but it is definitely present. German for "pepper nut," pfeffernusse cookies are named for the pinch of pepper added to the dough before baking. You can have Pfeffernuse Cookies using 14 ingredients and 7 steps. Here is how you cook it.

Ingredients of Pfeffernuse Cookies

It's 4 cup of all-purpose flour.
Prepare 1 tsp of baking powder.
You need 1/2 tsp of baking soda.
You need 1 tsp of white pepper (ground).
It's 1 tsp of cinnamon.
It's 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg.
It's 1/2 tsp of cardamom.
It's 1/2 tsp of ground ginger.
You need 3/4 tsp of salt.
Prepare 3/4 cup of softened butter.
It's 1 cup of brown sugar, packed.
Prepare 1/2 cup of molasses.
Prepare 2 of eggs.
You need 3/4 cup of chopped almonds.

It joins a quartet of warm spices -- cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. It joins a quartet of warm spices -- cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Pfeffernusse cookies are chewy traditional German cookies that were mostly served around the holidays. Over the years, they've become popular across Europe as Christmas cookies with several variations.

Pfeffernuse Cookies step by step

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
In separate bowl, cream the butter, sugar, molasses, and add eggs,one at a time, until well combined..
Stir in dry ingredients, 1/2 cup at a time. Add almonds..
Roll into 1 inch balls and place an inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 11-14 minutes..
Cool and enjoy!.
If desired, you can roll them in powdered sugar afterwards..

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. They were on the plate with homemade French Macarons and Peppermint cookies. I dressed them up a bit for Christmas by shaking a few edible gold glitter flakes on the cookies while the icing was still wet. Return the coated cookies to the wire rack to finish cooling.