What Are Pfeffernüsse Cookies?
Christmas Cookies from the from the Old Parkdale Inn
Pfeffernüsse are German spice cookies. Pfeffernüsse translates to peppernuts, which makes sense. These cookies are flavored with a cozy blend of warm spices, including black pepper. They traditionally contain anise. This recipe calls for shortening and margarine instead of butter, as butter tends to spread. I had butter and didn't want to go to the store. Hence my cookies did spread a bit more than they should have but they still tasted delicious
Ingredients
- ½ cup molasses
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup shortening
- ¼ cup margarine
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons anise extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting
- Place molasses, honey, shortening, and margarine in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until creamy. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Beat in eggs.
- Combine flour, white sugar, brown sugar, anise, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, black pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Add molasses mixture; stir until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate dough until well chilled, about 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Roll dough into acorn-sized balls and place 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
- Bake in the preheated oven until firm to the touch with slight cracking, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets briefly before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust cooled cookies with confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container.
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We're your home base for exploring and enjoying the Hood River Valley and beyond. After a full day, you’ll love the peace and tranquility of the Old Parkdale Inn. Relax in the gardens, perhaps with your favorite beverage, by the bonfire, roast some s’mores, weather permitting of course.
What's to do
The Hood River Fruit Loop is located in the beautiful Hood River Valley at the foot of majestic Mt. Hood offering you a variety of wines, fruits, vegetables, flowers, ciders, and food. Outdoor adventures such as kayaking, windsurfing, skiing, snow boarding, and hiking await. Mt. Hood Meadows, Cooper Spur Mountain Resort, and Timberline Ski areas are only a short drive away, as is the Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood National Forest where trails and wildlife abound.