12 Days of Holiday Baking continues with my recipe for Pfeffernüsse
These cookies are a holiday favourite in our house. There’s nothing better than a spicy, powdered-sugar-coated cookie to keep you warm on a winter’s day.
[P.S. They make good valentines, too!]
Let’s get to work, then!
Pfeffernüsse
Yield 4 Dozen Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 c all-purpose flour and 3/4 c chopped pecans, walnuts or sliced almonds
- or 3 c all purpose flour and 3/4 c nut flour
- or 3 3/4 c all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp fresh-ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- OPTIONAL: 1/2 tsp fresh ground anise or 1 tsp anise extract
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 c brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 c molasses
- 1/4 c honey
- OPTIONAL: 1-2 tbs brandy or cognac
for the coating
- 1 c icing sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350.
- If using chopped nuts, toast nuts for 5-10 minutes until just light brown.
- If using chopped nuts, pulverize the nuts into flour using a food processor or coffee/spice grinder.
- Place the flour, nut flour, spices, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Set aside.
- In a mixer or by hand, cream butter and brown sugar.
- Add eggs to combine.
- Add molasses, honey, [optional] brandy/cognac, [optional] anise extract.
- Slowly incorporate all of the flour until a slightly sticky dough forms.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- Mix icing sugar and cinnamon in small bowl and set aside.
- Form dough into 3/4-inch to 1-inch balls.
- Place on parchment lined cookie sheets.
- Bake for 12 minutes, rotating sheets 180 degrees at the 6 minute mark.
- Immediately place cookies on their parchment onto wire racks.
- While cookies are still warm, place a few at a time in the bowl of spiced icing sugar and toss to coat.
- Return coated cookies to their parchment sheets on wire racks.
- Cool completely.
Now, don’t forget to check out my 2017 Advent Calendar on December 1st!
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