Pfeffernusse


Ugh, sorry about the posting gap!

First, my baby decided to get all her teeth at once.  Incisors, molars, wisdom, you name it.  She has all of them now.

Then I got sick.  Yeah, the puking kind.

Then my preschooler got sick.  That same, special kind.


Then it was Thanksgiving, and now we are here.

I have so many excuses!

Oh the last one is the most delicious - my internet connection has become, shall we say, unreliable.

Anyway.  It's aight.  I'm just getting back into this business anyway, right?  There's time to iron out the, uh, bunches?


I'm so addicted to these little cookies.

They are like ginger snaps, but gingery-er.

No wait, SNAPPIER.

They're little molasses bombs with just enough black pepper to catch in your throat.


 Pfeffernusse
adapted from Taste of Home
Makes 4 dozen

Important recipe information:  pfeffernusse means peppernut!

1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon anise extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup confectioners' sugar

In a small saucepan, combine the molasses, honey and butter.  Cook and stir over medium heat until melted.  Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature.  Stir in eggs and extract.  Smell that?  Mm.

Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, pepper and salt.  Gradually add molasses mixture and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight (do not, by any means, eat it all at this point).

Roll dough into 1-inch balls.  Place one inch apart on greased baking sheets.  Bake at 325F for 9 minutes (longer if you like your peppernuts crispy).  Remove cookies to wire racks.  Roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar.  Cool completely.  NOW devour.

17 comments:

jeannesioux said...

Wow, that list of ingredients looks incredible. I WILL try this.

ilona said...

Love it and ] it has lots of great flavors. Yum!

Laura @ Raise Your Garden said...

I love all the spices in these cookies. What a great combination of flavors! Like a party in your mouth. Being sick is the worst, but having sick kids......who are up all night. Well, let's just say I know all about that to =)

Easyfoodsmith said...

I have not cooked with molasses. Are these similar to jaggery? I would love to try these cookies.

Juliana said...

Beautiful cookies, and I am loving all the spices in it...
Hope you are having a great week :)

Dressed With Soul said...

Thanks for sharing this yummy pieces :) Would love to try it!

xx from Germany/Bavaria, Rena
International Giveaway: Christmas Surprise with Self Interest
www.dressedwithsoul.com

Ellen said...

Ginger bombs! Nice.

amlamonte said...

jeanne, please let me know how it goes! i think you'd like it.

amlamonte said...

thanks ilona! the unusual flavor combination was really what drew me to this.

amlamonte said...

haha right laura? i don't know if it's worse being up all night or trying to cope the next day. i'll pass on both, please!

amlamonte said...

easyfoodsmith i'm sorry to say i don't know what jaggery is! this calls for some investigation. i CAN tell you that molasses is delicious. like a bitter, burnt sugar. mm.

amlamonte said...

thank you juliana! yes, the spices really sell these. black pepper in a cookie!

amlamonte said...

thank you, dressed with soul!

amlamonte said...

ha ellen if i were to translate these into an easy english phrase i would DEFINITELY call them ginger bombs!

Kait Wakefield said...

Those look absolutely delicious!

Cathleen said...

These look so good!!

Amy (Savory Moments) said...

Yes! We LOVE these cookies and all the spices in them. They are so delicious and perfect for the holidays and winter time in general.