Pfeffernussen | A Home for the Holidays #SundaySupper Event

Pfeffernussen are traditional German cookies. Mildly sweet, and full of flavor, these are a holiday favorite!

The holidays mean many things to many people. They mean family and friends. Travel and reunions. Memories and great food. Often, the holidays mean a carrying on of traditions that have been passed down for generations.

These little cookies are a nod to my German ancestry.

Pfeffernussens get their name from the array of spices contained in them…in particular a spice you wouldn’t ordinarily think of in cookies. Black Pepper.  But don’t let that scare you!

Their size & shape look like little nuts, and so pepper nuts is where the name comes from.

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To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

You will then combine your dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl: 2 1/4 flour, 1/4 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. finely ground black pepper, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ginger and 1/4 tsp cloves. Stir them together and set them aside.

 

In your mixing bowl combine 1/4 cup molasses…

 

3/4 cup brown sugar

 

1 stick (1/2 c) room temperature butter, and a half teaspoon of vanilla. Cream those all together until smooth.

 

Add in one egg, and mix until incorporated, being sure to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula.

 

Mix in your dry ingredients, until just combined.

 

This will make a very stiff dough.

 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a measuring scoop or spoon for equal portions, scoop a tablespoon of dough into your hand, and roll it into a smooth ball, that is just over an inch in size. Place it on the parchment paper. Continue to roll balls of dough, placing them about an inch and a half apart. These cookies do not expand a great deal, so I will bake 16 at a time on a standard-sized baking sheet.

 

Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, or until the cookies are rather firm to the touch, and have little cracks on them.

 

Allow them to cool for about 10 minutes. While they are cooling, put about a cup or so of powdered sugar in a paper sack.

 

After they have cooled 10 minutes, take a couple cookies at a time, and place them in the bag. Roll the top shut, and give it a shake to coat them. Take them out and set them on a rack to finish cooling.

 

Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

Note: these cookies are very firm. If you feel they are too hard for your liking, place them in an air-tight container with a slice of apple. The moisture from the apple can soften them just a tad.

Enjoy!

 

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What does home for the holidays mean to you?

The Sunday Supper contributors have shared their favorite holiday traditions in food with you today. Big thanks to Beate from Galactopdx for hosting today!

Breakfast

• Orange Refrigerator Rolls by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Eggs Benedict by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Holiday Cream Cheese Tea Ring by That Skinny Chick can Bake
• Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake by Small Wallet Big Appetite

Appetizers & Snacks

• Chicken Liver Pate by Tora’s Real Food
• Bindaetteok {Mung Bean Pancakes}by Kimchi Mom
• Crab and Asparagus Soup by The Urban Mrs.

Sides

• Potato Salad {Schwaebischer Kartoffelsalat} by Galactopdx
• Italian Orange Salad by Shockingly Delicious
• Sweet Potato Casserole by Magnolia Days
• Carrots au gratin by Juanitas Cocina

Main Dishes

• Char Siu Bao – Chinese Roast Pork Buns by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Savory Crepe Cake by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• West Indian Curried Goat by The ROXX Box
• Pot Cheese and Potato Cheese Pierogies by Cupcakes and Kale chips
• Seafood Gumbo and Grilled Oysters: A Louisiana Christmas Tradition by the Catholic Foodie
• Mom’s Paella by What Smells So Good?
• Portuguese Chorizo Crown Pork Roast by Family Foodie
• Dorie’s Chicken in a Pot by Gotta Get Baked
• New Year’s Eve Buckwheat Noodles with Mochi by The Ninja Baker
• Crab Cakes for Christmas Eve by Daddy Knows Less
• Mile High Lasagna by Cravings of a Lunatic

Desserts

• Pizzelles {Italian Wafer Cookies} by Chocolate Moosey
• Fudge by Dinner Dishes and Desserts
• Crescent Cookies by Cookistry
• Christmas Stollen by Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
• Pfeffernussen by The Foodie Army Wife
• Creme De Menthe Cake by I Run for Wine
• Panettone Bread Pudding by the Country Girl in the Village
• Spiced Gingerbread Gooey Butter Cake | A twist on a St. Louis Favorite by Daily Dish Recipes
• Chocolate Gingerbread Layer Cake with Eggnog Cream Cheese by Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends
• Jamaican Christmas Pudding by Lovely Pantry
• White Chocolate Cranberry Santa Cookies by Mooshu Jenne
• Christmas Tree Cookies by Damn Delicious
• Old Fashioned Lady Fingers {Creamhorns} by The Meltaways
• Rose Milk Almond Falooda {Indian Dessert Drink} bySue’s  Nutrition Buzz

Drinks

• Wine Pairings by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
• Cinnamon Infused Hot Chocolate with Southern Comfort Whipped Cream by Mama Mommy Mom

 

Please join on us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper on December 23rd.  In the evening we will meet at 3 pm AKST/7 pm EST for our #SundaySupper to talk about our Holiday Traditions.  We are so excited to have you join us.  All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.

Please feel free to share with us and our followers, your favorite Holiday recipe on our #SundaySupperPinterest Board.

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Pfeffernussen

by The Foodie Army Wife | Conni Smith

Printable Version

 

2 1/4 flour
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t finely ground black pepper
1/4 t cloves
1/2 t allspice
1/2 t ginger
1 t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
1/4 c molasses
3/4 c brown sugar
1 stick (1/2 c) butter, room temperature
1/3 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 c powdered sugar, for coating

To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

You will then combine the flour, baking soda, finely ground black pepper, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger and cloves in a medium-sized bowl. Stir them together and set them aside.
In your mixing bowl, combine the molasses, brown sugar, butter and vanilla. Cream those all together until smooth. Mix in the egg until it is incorporated. Be sure to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Mix in your dry ingredients, until just combined. This will make a very stiff dough.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a measuring scoop for equal portions, scoop a tablespoon of dough into your hand, and roll it into a smooth ball, that is just over an inch in size. Place it on the parchment paper. Continue to roll balls of dough, placing them about an inch and a half apart. These cookies do not expand a great deal, so I will bake 16 at a time on a standard-sized baking sheet.
Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, or until the cookies are rather firm to the touch, and have little cracks on them.
Allow them to cool for about 10 minutes. While they are cooling, put about a cup or so of confectioner/powdered sugar in a paper sack. After they have cooled 10 minutes, take a couple cookies at a time, and place them in the bag. Roll the top shut, and give it a shake to coat them. Take them out and set them on a rack to finish cooling.
Repeat the process with the remaining dough. 

Note: these cookies are very firm. If you feel they are too hard for your liking, place them in an air-tight container with a slice of apple. The moisture from the apple can soften them just a tad.

Enjoy!