Authentic German Pfeffernusse Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in molasses, anise oil, and egg. Dissolve baking soda in hot water, and stir into the mixture. Combine the flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger and white pepper; blend into the molasses mixture until uniform. Knead for a minute until easy to work with. Shape dough into 1 inch balls, and place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until slightly browned on the bottom. Do not over bake, or they will be very hard. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Steps:

• Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and spices. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, brown sugar, and molasses on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture; beat until just combined. Pinch off a heaping teaspoon of dough, roll into a ball, and place on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining dough, spacing balls 1 1/2 inches apart. (Dough can be frozen at this point, covered tightly with plastic wrap, up to 1 month.)
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are golden and firm to the touch with slight cracking, about 15 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Glaze: Fit a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, milk, and kirsch, if desired. Using a fork, dip each cookie in glaze to coat. Tap to remove excess glaze and place on wire rack to dry. Repeat with remaining cookies.
• To decorate: While the glaze is still wet, top cookies with a small pinch of peppercorns, if desired. Alternatively, let glaze dry completely before mixing together luster dust and kirsch with a small paintbrush. Lightly brush tops of cookies with luster dust mixture, if desired. Let dry before serving. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

Steps:

• Stir together the 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. Stir in the eggs.
• Combine the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, anise, cinnamon, baking soda, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Add the molasses mixture and stir until thoroughly combines. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Roll the dough into acorn-sized balls. Arrange on baking sheets, spacing at least 1 inch apart.
• Bake in preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes. Move to a rack to cool. Dust cooled cookies with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Beat sugar with eggs for 15 minutes.
• Sift dry ingredients together, and stir into egg-sugar mixture.
• Mix in butter and honey and knead briefly.
• Roll dough into 1/2-inch-diameter snakes. Cut into 1/2-inch segments with floured paring knife. Arrange 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet.
• Bake 10-15 minutes.
• Cool and store in airtight container in cool place.

Steps:

• FOR THE COOKIES: Heat honey (do not boil) in a 4 quart sauce pan. Add shortening and cool. Beat in egg.
• Sift dry ingredients together; gradually stir into the honey mixture. Knead dough slightly in bowl or on a board. Let dough stand 30 to 40 minutes.
• Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 13 to 15 minutes. Yield: 96 to 108 cookies.
• FOR THE FROSTING: Combine egg whites, honey and spices in a 1 quart bowl. Gradually beat in icing sugar, using a beater or mixer.
• Place 12 to 14 Pfeffernusse in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of frosting. Stir gently to coat all sides. Place on a wire rack for frosting to harden. Store in a tightly closed container.
• Wheatland Bounty.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, cream, corn syrup, honey and extracts. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight., Roll dough into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 10-11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.