Ingredients
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. molasses
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger (optional)
Zest of 1 orange
1 tbsp. rum
1 large egg
1 c. almond flour
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground anise seed
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
3 tbsp. heavy cream or coquito
Preparation
Step 1In a large bowl using a whisk, beat butter, sugar, and molasses just until smooth. Add grated ginger, orange zest, rum, and egg and beat until combined.Step 2In a medium bowl, whisk flours, baking soda, salt, and spices until combined. Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, until dough just comes together. Step 3Preheat oven to 350° and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a tablespoon and dampened hands, portion dough into 1 ½” balls and place 2” apart on prepared sheets.Step 4Bake until puffed and set, 12 to 14 minutes.Step 5Meanwhile, make glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk powdered sugar, cardamom, and cream until smooth, adding more cream to loosen, if necessary.Step 6Let cookies cool for 10 minutes then dip the tops of each cookie in the glaze. Let glaze harden before eating.
What are pfeffernüsse cookies? Like gingerbread cookies, pfeffernüsse is a cookie spiked with a spice medley and often rolled in powdered sugar right after baking, similar to our snowball cookies. While all three of these cookies are especially popular around the holidays, the German “pepper nuts” are delicious any time of year. What are pfeffernüsse made from? Traditionally, pfeffernüsse cookies are made from molasses, anise, pepper and a warming spice mixture before being rolled in powdered sugar. Our recipe takes this simple cookie up a notch. Barely crunchy on the outside and soft and fudgy on the inside, this version calls for a thick cardamom-flavored glaze that hardens into a candy-like shell. The addition of fresh ginger, orange zest, and rum gives these little bites a warm sweetness that blends well with the dark notes of molasses and black pepper. So named due to the presence of ground white pepper and their small size, pfeffernüsse don’t traditionally contain nuts. For this recipe, using almond flour in the mix helps these cookies stay fluffy and soft in the middle. If you have a nut allergy, skip the almond flour and substitute it with all-purpose flour. Start with 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, then add up to 4 tablespoons more until the right consistency is reached: The dough should be just moist enough that it sticks only a tiny bit to your hands when rolling. How do I store them? After letting them cool, store these cookies in an airtight container at room temp. for around 5 days. Once you’ve made these, be sure to drop us a comment down below and let us know how you liked it!
