Traditional Pfeffernüsse (Authentic German Peppernut Cookies)

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5 from 1 vote

Traditional Pfeffernüsse (Authentic German Peppernut Cookies)

Try this easy recipe for Pfeffernüsse. A delicious German gingerbread cookie that is perfect for Christmas and advent.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings cookies

Calories 124kcal

Author Marita

Ingredients

80 g butter
100 g granulated sugar
1 egg medium-sized at room temperature
100 g honey
250 g all-purpose flour Germany type 405, UK plain flour, USA all purpose or cake flour.
50 g ground almonds
50 g ground hazelnuts
2 teaspoon gingerbread spice for best flavour use my homemade spice mix.
¼ teaspoon black pepper optional- it adds a little sharpness to the flavour
1 tsp baking powder

For the glaze

75 g powdered sugar
2 tablespoon lemon juice
100 gr dark chocolate

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Using a hand or stand mixer, mix the butter and sugar until creamy. Then add the egg.
80 g butter, 100 g granulated sugar, 1 egg
If your honey is dry, heat it again to make it more liquid. Add it to the butter mix with the gingerbread spice, pepper, ground almonds, hazelnuts, flour, and baking powder. Knead the ingredients until combined. Add the flour and baking powder to the bowl and knead the ingredients to a smooth dough.
100 g honey, 250 g all-purpose flour, 50 g ground almonds, 50 g ground hazelnuts, 2 teaspoon gingerbread spice, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon baking powder
You can continue to make your cookies. However, I recommend leaving the dough to rest at room temperature for at least an hour or overnight. Store them in a plastic wrap or an airtight container. This will allow the spices to fully unfold their flavor.
Preheat your oven to 160°C/320°F. Line your baking tray with parchment paper.
Take a little portion of your cookie dough and roll it into little dough balls - roughly the size of a walnut. If you want to make sure that all balls are equal in size, you can weigh them.
Place them onto the baking sheet. Keep in mind that they will expand a little when baking, so leave enough distance between them. Bake them in the oven for about 15 minutes. They should be firm to touch. Leave them to cool on a wire rack while preparing the glaze.

To make the glaze

To make the simple icing, sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Add the lemon juice and whisk until you achieve a smooth texture. If you find the glaze too runny add more powdered sugar. If it is too dry, add a few drops of lemon juice.
75 g powdered sugar, 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Lightly prick the bottom of the cookies with a fork, then dip it into the lemon glaze. Leave to drain on a wire wrack. Let the thick glaze dry completely before moving on to the next step.
. Using a water bath, melt the chocolate in a bowl. Once the lemon glaze is dry, hold a cookie between two fingers and dip the bottom in the chocolate. Leave to set upside down.
100 gr dark chocolate
Drizzle some melted chocolate on top of the cookies.

Notes

Make ahead

Traditional pfeffernüsse cookies are perfect to make ahead, as they get better the longer they rest. The dough can rest up to three days before you can bake them. However, I normally leave them overnight and bake them the next day. As they are long-life cookies you can make them a month ahead and they will still be delicious on Christmas Eve.

How to store

German cookies are stored in a cookie tin. In case the Pfeffernüsse cookies get hard, you can just place them with a piece of freshly cut apple or a slice of bread in the tin for a couple of days. This gives you nice and chewy cookies again.

Nutrition