Pfeffernüssen

Today I am making my grandpa's favorite cookie. I have made them for him many times, but today I used a different recipe from the Martha Stewart cookie book. Every other time I have made them I used an old family recipe in which anise seed was the only spice. This cookie has lots of different spices. It even uses pepper like it states in the name of the cookie, 'pfeffer' meaning pepper and 'nuss' meaning nut (usually attributed to their nut-like shape).

Pfeffernusse are a variation of Lebkuchen, German gingerbread. Lebkuchen came on to the food scene in the 12th century, so it is assumed that Pfefferneuse came around some time after that. The main difference is that Pfeffernuse are covered in powdered sugar after being taken out of the oven. The shape also differs from that of Lebkuchen. Traditional Pfefferenuse recipes turn out quite hard so that they can really only be eaten after being dunked. The cookies I baked are not that hard, but I also would not by any means call them chewy or soft. They are a good denseness; they could be either dunked or eaten plain.



This evening we all enjoyed some Pfeffernüssen with hot mulled wine. It was so delicious, and the clementines floating in it soaked up the wine giving them an interesting texture and great flavor! Add some Grand Marnier for a bit of a kick...



Pfeffernüssen

1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the confectioners' sugar in a brown paper bag.

2. In a bowl, combine flour, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and baking soda.

3. Place butter, brown sugar, and molasses in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture; beat until just combined. Pinch off tablespoons of dough; roll into 1 1/4-inch balls. Arrange balls 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.

4. Bake until golden and firm to touch with slight cracking, about 15 minutes. Rotate sheets halfway through. Transfer sheets to a wire rack and let cool slightly for about 10 minutes. Working in batches, place cookies in the paper bag. Shake until well coated. Let cool completely on wire rack.