Serves 60
75 min
German Spice Cookies (Pfeffernusse)
Recipe GLPRde9fcf577ff05a
These classic German spiced cookies are aromatic and festive, featuring warm spices like cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg combined with molasses. The tender cookies are finished with a smooth glaze and topped with pink peppercorns and a hint of shimmer from luster dust, making them perfect for holiday celebrations.
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Ingredients
2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup unsulfured molasses
1 large egg
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
⅓ cup whole milk, plus more as needed
¼ teaspoon kirsch or cherry-flavored liqueur, optional
Coarsely ground pink peppercorns for topping
½ teaspoon metallic luster dust for finishing
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and light brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the molasses and mix until well combined.
Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
Using a small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop rounded portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are set but still slightly soft in the centers. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cookies cool, prepare the glaze. In a medium bowl, sift the confectioners' sugar, then add the milk gradually, stirring until you reach a smooth, pourable consistency. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk 1 teaspoon at a time. Stir in the kirsch if using.
Once the cookies have cooled completely, dip the top of each cookie into the glaze, allowing excess to drip off.
While the glaze is still wet, sprinkle a small pinch of coarsely ground pink peppercorns on top of each cookie. If using the luster dust, dust the tops very lightly with a clean, dry brush or by sifting.
Allow the glaze to set at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
