Pfeffernusse are thick and chewy spice cookies that just scream ‘holidays’! These small yet substantial cookies are rolled in powdered sugar for a sweet touch. This version is dairy-free, too!
When it comes to holidays and events, I realized that I tend to be either the earliest of early birds or rush to put the finishing touches on whatever it is at the last possible moment. Lately? I’m the latter. What did we do before free two-day shipping (mostly Amazon Prime but did you know asos does it now too for a small yearly fee)? We certainly didn’t have the excitement of wagering on the UPS guy. ‘Did he or did he not bring the earrings I need to wear in three hours/gift for that night’s birthday party (along with the wrapping paper and ribbon to wrap it)?’
I’ve been living on the edge over here, and I think it’s safe to say that this fall has gotten away from me something fierce. However sometime in mid-October I found some time to make a million batches of Christmas cookies, because obviously that time wouldn’t have been better spent focusing on what’s going on in the actual fall, now would it?
Several of those batches were these pfeffernusse cookies, which I can’t possibly wait to share with you. They’re chewy, hardy cookies that are spiced up perfectly with the classic mix of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger, but also ground pepper. Pepper in your cookies! It adds a bite that blends so well with the sweet flavors. I promise your guests won’t think you accidentally grabbed the pepper instead of the salt shaker!
Every December growing up we’d get our annual batch of (store-bought) pfeffernusse cookies, which came in a bag and were just TOO. GOOD. This year I wasn’t holding out hope that I’d be able to find them in my local stores so I tried my hand at recreating them at home and tweaking the recipe until they were juuuuuust right. My first batch resulted in very large cookies, which we were thrilled about because you could enjoy many more flavor-packed bites while still sticking to your promise of eating “just one cookie”.
After that first (delicious) batch I got a little self-conscious that the extent of my knowledge of pfeffernusse cookies came from a supermarket version so I did a little research and learned a few things. Number one being that pfeffernusse are typically small cookies, so my extra large batch was fab but atypical. So small was the name of the game for batches #2 and beyond.
Then there’s the issue of the powdered sugar coating. The store-bought variety certainly had a sweet white coating, but my Googling brought back mixed results. Apparently *authentic* pfeffernusse cookies don’t have a thick confectioners’ sugar coating? Since this seemed like an area in which I could reduce a bit of extra sugar without sacrificing taste, I took it. I simply rolled the pfeffernusse cookie dough balls in powdered sugar pre-bake, and let them develop their cracked texture as they baked.
You can certainly dust the finished cookies in extra confectioners’ sugar if you prefer. I mean, hey, it’s the holidays after all. 😉
These pfeffernusse disappeared quickly! They’re the best mix of chewy and spiced cookies, and would be a warmly-welcomed addition to any holiday cookie tray. I have a funny feeling that I’ll be making these long after the holiday season has finished for this year. Not that that’s a time I want to think about, of course. Let’s focus on first things first. 🙂
Pfeffernusse (Spice Cookies)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp anise extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- 3/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar for rolling (divided - optional)
Instructions
- Add molasses, honey, and coconut oil to a small saucepan set over medium heat. As the mixture heats, stir to combine ingredients until it's smooth and well-mixed (about five minutes). Remove saucepan from heat and let molasses mixture cool to room temperature. [see note]
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together egg and anise extract. Once molasses mixture has sufficiently cooled, very slowly pour in small amounts of the egg mixture, whisking continually, until all is combined.
- In a separate bowl, add flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, white pepper, and salt. Whisk to combine. Pour molasses mixture into bowl with the dry ingredients and stir so that everything is combined and mixture is smooth, trying not to overmix. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough until thoroughly chilled, at least 1-2 hours.
- Once dough is chilled, preheat oven to 325 degrees F and lightly grease baking sheet(s). Add 1/4 cup of confectioners' sugar to a small bowl and set aside. Scoop small balls of dough (approx. the size of a large gumball), form into a sphere with your hands, and roll all sides in the confectioners' sugar, dusting off any additional sugar. Discard remainder of sugar.
- Place cookies about 1" apart from one another on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 11 or so minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are mostly firm to the touch and bottoms have darkened slightly. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5-6 minutes, and then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled completely, you may coat or dust pfeffernusse in remaining 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar before serving if you prefer. I skipped this step for the cookies in this picture.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
Jessica says
I made these last year for my German mother, her mother passed away a few years ago and these are something she remembers her mom making when she was a child. When she bit in to her first one, her eyes welled up with tears and she said “their just like the ones my mother would make ” Thank you for posting they brought much joy to our family, and are now a family must have cookie for the holidays.
Alyssa says
That makes me so happy to hear, Jessica! So, so glad your family enjoys these cookies. 🙂 I was just thinking about them the other day as I might sneak a batch in before “officially” beginning my holiday baking. Love that spice flavor.
Sheryl says
These were some of the best cookies I have ever had. Very forgiving recipe also. I had a 3 year old screaming bloody murder. A 12 week old puppy terrorizing the 3 yr old and an older dog. Total chaos in my kitchen! They were well worth that battle. The only bad thing with this recipe is that it did not make enough. Thank you for this recipe.
Alyssa says
I’m so happy you liked them, Sheryl! And glad to hear they were worth making in the midst of a lot going on. 🙂 Happy holidays!
Lecia says
How many days in advance of serving can you make these cookies? We’re throwing a party this weekend and I’m trying to do some prep ahead of time. Thank you!
Alyssa says
Hi Lecia, I would say these cookies would be just fine made a few days ahead of time – maybe 2-3 or even longer? They’re pretty chewy/hardy so they have some staying power. If your party is this weekend then I’d imagine anytime now would be good. Stored in an air-tight container we enjoy these cookies for days after making them (until the batch is gone). I hope that helps!
Lorraine says
I just finished baking these cookies. I have a couple questions: the batter never became smooth. It stayed crumbly. I was able to form a ball, with difficulty. I baked cookies as stated, but the cookie remained mostly in a ball and did not flatten? Could you give me some suggestions.
Alyssa says
Hi Lorraine, sorry the batter gave you some difficulty. How are you measuring your flour? I use a spoon and stir up the flour in the canister, spoon it into a measuring cup, and remove the excess by leveling off the top with a knife or the handle of the spoon. That way the flour isn’t packed in the cup which leads to too much flour inadvertently being added to the batter. That could cause a crumbly texture. If you’re already measuring flour that way, then I’d say start by adding 1 1/2 cups and see how the dough is. If it’s too sticky, keep adding additional flour by a tablespoon at a time until it’s smooth. Too much flour is probably behind the cookies not flattening that much, too. As for pfeffernusse, the ones we always had growing up were taller/more rounded in appearance than these, so the appearance of yours may actually be more authentic than mine! That said you’ll want the cookies to be chewy and not too dry in texture, so I’ll bet tweaking the flour will help. I hope that helps!
Karen says
Grew up with these cookies..can they be frozen? I always end up with a baking marathon starting the 20th or 21st. I don’t pick freezable cookies.
Thanks.
Alyssa says
Hi Karen, I’d say these could be made and frozen ahead of time. They’re pretty hearty little cookies. I might wait to dust them with powdered sugar until fully defrosted and ready to serve so the temperature changes don’t mess with how they look.
Another option is to prepare the dough up, chill it so it’s firm and will hold shape, roll it into balls, and then freeze the raw cookie dough balls in an air-tight container with wax or parchment paper between layers. What would be required for serving would be to put the frozen cookies on a baking sheet, letting them thaw for 15-20 minutes, and then baking them ‘fresh’ then. I haven’t gone that route with these pfeffernusse but I’ve frozen chocolate chip cookie dough that way before and it worked out. I hope that helps!
Regina Wright says
I love Pfeffernusse cookies. Can’t wait to try these.
Alyssa says
I love them too, Regina!
Mari says
I just made these and they taste delicious. A perfect blend of spices and flavoring and chewiness. I made them the size of a large gumboil but expected they would come out larger. They’re fine but smaller than I thought they would be judging from your pictures. I wonder how adding nuts might come out. Maybe I will experiment with that next year.
Alyssa says
Hi Mari, I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Size does tend to be a little tricky to convey in photos sometimes. These cookies are traditionally made very small, though you can definitely increase the size of each ball of dough and add a few extra minutes of cook time (and more space between each cookie for spreading) to yield larger cookies. I might do that myself the next time I make them. I’ve never added nuts to the batter before but it sounds like it would be a delicious addition. Thanks so much for writing in and I hope you have a wonderful holiday!
Catherine says
Dear Alyssa, I would love a batch of these cookies. They sound wonderful…perfect for the holidays! xo, Catherine
Ashley says
haha I feel like everything is getting away from me lately! Fall just blew by and now Thanksgiving is practically here … ahhhh! lol
These cookie look seriously fantastic though! I cannot wait to start my christmas baking!
Alyssa says
I know – rocket speed! Thanks Ashley. 🙂
Rachel @ Bakerita says
Amazon Prime saves my LIFE! I haven’t tried this type of cookie, but man they look good 🙂 love the spices!!
Alyssa says
Yessss! haha Thanks Rachel!
Kelly says
I feel the same way, time always seems to go by way too quickly. Savoring those extra moments to make holiday cookies sounds perfect! I have never heard of pfeffernusse cookies before but they are absolutely beautiful, Alyssa! I love how chewy they are with those pretty crackles and the powdered sugar and the spices sound incredible!
Alyssa says
Thanks Kelly! I love this mix of spices. It’s definitely unique (and totally makes me think of Christmastime!)
Sarah @Whole and Heavenly Oven says
I tried pfeffernusse cookies for the first time last winter and I quickly became obsessed! You’re making me excited to try them all over again! These look absolutely PERFECT, Alyssa! So ultra-soft and chewy!
Alyssa says
Aren’t they great Sarah? They hooked me the first time I tried them too! Thanks girl. 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Love this fun cookie! Just perfect!
Alyssa says
Thanks Gayle!
Annie says
I have never heard of this kind of cookie!! They are so so beautiful though! I am a huge fan of “spicy” baked foods, I love spice cake or pumpkin spice cookies, etc. I just love the flavor those ingredients pack!
I think this is going on my Holiday baking list! 🙂
Alyssa says
I just bet you’d love these Annie! Their flavor is addictive I think. Thanks!
Janette@culinaryginger says
I have never tried Pfeffernusse, but I know I would love them, so many delicious flavors. I’ll be looking for them the next time I’m in Europe 🙂
Alyssa says
Thanks Janette! They’re not that common from what I’ve seen, but they sure are good. 🙂
marcie says
I’ve never had this kind of cookie, and I know I would love it with the molasses and all those warm spices! These look perfectly thick and chewy, and are a must-make!
Alyssa says
Thanks Marcie! They’re one of my favorite cookies – it’s great (and a little too tempting) that I can now make them at home!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
These are beyond screaming holidays! I have so many cookie ideas I want to make and post on the blog….I’m not going to have time for all the goodies! Haha! I’m so in to baking this year it’s crazy (and so so so not like me!)
Alyssa says
I feel the same way Rebecca! So many cookies, so little time. 🙂
Sues says
I cannot even imagine life without Amazon Prime anymore! And not only do these look delicious, but I just love the word pfeffernusse 🙂
Alyssa says
Haha it’s so fun to say, Sues! And oh man, I have no clue what I did beforehand! Just so so convenient. We recently started using their subscribe and save program for stuff like Tug’s dog treats and I can’t get over how great it is. I’m in danger of putting all the things we use pretty regularly on there!