Pfeffernüsse
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ½ cup molasses
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp anise extract
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1½ tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1½ tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • ½ tsp ground white pepper
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp salt
Garnish
  • 2½ cups powdered sugar for either dusting or glazing
  • 4 tbsp hot water for glaze
Instructions
Prepare the dough
  1. In a small saucepan over Medium heat, stir together the molasses, honey, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter.
  2. Cook and stir to a gentle simmer.
  3. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
  4. Whisk in the eggs and anise extract.
  5. In a large bowl, combine the flour, allspice, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, both peppers, and salt.
  6. Add the molasses mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
  7. Cover with cling film and refrigerate at least 2 hours to overnight.
Baking the cookies
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Split the dough in half and roll into ¾ inch ropes.
  3. Cut the ropes into 1 inch pieces and roll the dough into balls.
  4. Arrange on parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking sheets, spacing at least 1 inch apart. Parchment makes removal of the cookies easier - simply slide them off the pan to the rack to cool and reline the pan as needed.
  5. Bake in preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes.
  6. Move cookies to a rack to cool.
Finish the cookies
  1. Dust cooled cookies with confectioners' sugar twice, once while warm and again after they have completely cooled.OR
  2. Whisk together powdered sugar and water in a small bowl.
  3. Dip each cookie top in the glaze and allow to dry on a rack.
Notes
This recipe is based on the popular AllRecipes version with a few tweaks.There are a wide variety of recipes for this cookie, so I am trying one that seems quite popular and highly rated. Next year I will try another variation!
Recipe by Cooking 4 One at https://www.cooking-4-one.com/2017/12/13/pfeffernusse/