Perhaps the perfect Christmas cookie for spice lovers, Pfeffernüsse are German spice cookies that are also favored in the Netherlands and Denmark. They're packed full of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, and even a bit of pepper, hence the name "pepper nuts." With a nice chewy texture and glossy sweet icing, these traditional German Christmas cookies will quickly become family favorites!
(This recipe was originally published in December 2019, but was updated with new content in 2020).
Today we visit Germany to sample Pfeffernüsse, which literally means "peppernuts." These spice cookies are popular not only in Germany, but also in Denmark and the Netherlands, where they are termed pebernødder and pepernoten respectively.
The name derives from the inclusion of pepper as one of the many spices, and the cookie's size and shape, which is reminiscent of whole nuts. Other spices in these bite size German Christmas cookies include cinnamon, cloves, allspice, mace, and anise. These pfeffernüsse cookies are packed with an intense spice flavor that will truly tantalize your taste buds!
Honey and brown sugar sweeten these morsels, which are enrobed in sweet icing. The simple white glaze really complements the flavor punch of spices in each soft, chewy bite.
Fun fact: December 23rd is National Pfeffernüsse Day! Now you have another reason to make a batch of your own pfeffernüsse to celebrate!
Ingredient notes
- Spices: For these German spice cookies you will need a variety of ground spices including cinnamon, cloves, white pepper, allspice, ginger, mace, and aniseed.
- Honey: Any mild-flavored honey like clover or orange blossom will work well in this recipe.
- Brown Sugar: Store your brown sugar in its tightly sealed original bag placed inside a sealed freezer bag with all the air pressed out. The key is to squeeze out all the air from both the original bag (do the best you can) and then put it in another airtight container. This will keep your brown sugar soft and fresh much longer!
How to make it
In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, pepper, and spices.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine the brown sugar, honey, butter, and cream and heat over medium heat. Stir frequently until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat and let cool briefly.
Next, stir the honey-butter mixture into the flour mixture until almost fully combined, then add the egg and continue to mix until smooth. Scrape it out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and wrap it tightly. Refrigerate the pfeffernüsse dough overnight or up to 2 days.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
Remove the dough from the plastic wrap, cut it into 4 pieces, and then roll each into a ¾-inch thick strand. Slice the dough into ¾-inch lengths (PHOTO 1), and roll each piece into a ball approximately ¾-inch in diameter (PHOTO 2).
Place the balls about 1 inch apart on parchment lined-sheet pans (PHOTO 3). Bake one pan while you are finishing rolling the balls for the second pan.
Bake these German spice cookies one pan at a time on the center rack of the oven for 15 minutes or until domed, and dry on top (PHOTO 4). Remove and let the cookies cool completely.
To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar and water until smooth. Using less water will yield a thicker, whiter glaze while adding a bit more water will result in a slightly thinner but still opaque glaze which will be a bit easier to drip off the excess.
Dip each cookie, top side down, in the glaze, letting the excess drip off. Then place them on a wire rack positioned over a piece of parchment paper or foil to catch the drips. Let the glaze dry until it fully hardens.
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Helpful notes and FAQs
Note that many old school recipes for pfeffernüsse cookies use baker's ammonia as leavening as opposed to more common baking soda or baking powder. It can be harder to find, and likely not very useful if you're not baking other recipes that require it. Many recipes for pfeffernüsse nowadays will instead include baking powder or baking soda. The resulting texture will be slightly different than if one were to use baker's ammonia.
Also, like other European gingerbread cookie recipes, this is one that traditionally is baked with little to no fat. It usually requires a few days at least to soften to the right texture before it can be eaten. Many recipes have circumvented these issues by adding butter (as this pfeffernüsse recipe does), so they can be enjoyed immediately.
Both are types of German gingerbread cookies. Pfeffernüsse are rolled into balls and glazed with powdered sugar after baking. Meanwhile, lebkuchen is a blanket term for German gingerbread, and varies from region to region. It can be found in different shapes and sizes like flat circles and rectangular bars, and is sometimes stamped into shapes.
/ˈpfɛfə(ɹ)nuːsə/ or FEFF-urr-noose-uh
Other recipes you may like
- Perníčky (Czech Gingerbread Cookies)
- Basler Läckerli / Leckerli (Swiss Spiced Cookie Bars)
- Pain d’Epices (French Gingerbread)
- Gingerbread Muffins
- Heidesand (German Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies)
- Vanillekipferl (Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies)
- Peppermint Biscotti
- Capezzoli di Venere (Nipples of Venus)
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also follow me on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Pfeffernüsse (German Iced Spice Cookies)
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (310 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon finely ground white pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground mace
- Pinch ground aniseed
- ½ cup (100 grams) packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (113 grams) honey
- 5 tablespoons (74 grams) unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 large egg
Icing:
- 2 ½ cups (300 grams) powdered sugar
- 4 to 5 tablespoons water (less water will result in a thicker and whiter glaze)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, pepper, and spices. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan combine the brown sugar, honey, butter, and cream and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Stir the honey-butter mixture into the flour mixture until almost fully combined, then add the egg and continue to mix until smooth. The dough will be sticky, and have a glossy sheen. Scrape it out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and wrap it tightly. Refrigerate the dough overnight or up to 2 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- Remove the dough from the plastic wrap, cut it into 4 pieces, and roll each into a ¾-inch thick strand. Slice the dough into ¾-inch lengths, and roll each into a ball approximately ¾-inch in diameter. Work quickly while the dough is still chilled. Place the balls about 1 inch apart on parchment lined-sheet pans. Bake one pan while you are finishing rolling the balls for the second pan.
- Bake cookies one pan at a time on the center rack of the oven for 15 minutes or until domed, and dry on top. Remove and let the cookies cool completely.
- To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar and water until smooth. Using less water will yield a thicker, whiter glaze while adding a bit more water will result in a slightly thinner but still opaque glaze which will be a bit easier to drip off the excess.
- Dip each cookie, top side down, in the glaze, letting the excess drip off. Place them on a wire rack positioned over a piece of parchment paper or foil to catch the drips. Let the glaze dry until it is fully hardened.
- Store the cookies in airtight container in a cool place. Cookies will keep for several weeks.
Notes
- Many old school recipes for pfeffernüsse use baker's ammonia as leavening as opposed to more common baking soda or baking powder. It can be harder to find, and likely not very useful if you're not baking other recipes that require it. Many recipes for pfeffernüsse nowadays will instead include baking powder or baking soda. The resulting texture will be slightly different than if one were to use baker's ammonia.
- Also, like other European gingerbread cookie recipes, this is one that traditionally is baked with little to no fat, and requires a few days at least to soften to the right texture before it can be eaten. Many recipes have circumvented these issues by adding butter (as this recipe does), so they can be enjoyed immediately.
- Adapted from The Daring Gourmet
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
Camille says
Another awesome cookie recipe. I would have generally avoided this just because of the different spices that are in the cookie. However, upon trying it, I can confirm that it’s delicious! I can’t wait to make them for myself!