Easy Spicy German Pfeffernusse Cookies

Easy Spicy German Pfeffernusse Cookies

Why You Should Give This Recipe a Try

The holiday season is a time for traditional treats and in my mind, there is no Christmas treat quite like a German Christmas treat. These Easy Spicy German Pfeffernusse Cookies are delightful little gingerbread like cakes coated in a glaze of confectioners sugar. They are bursting with flavor: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice, mixed into a simple syrup of molasses and honey. They are the epitome of the flavors of winter and the perfect thing for sharing over a warm drink with family and friends. Easy Spicy German Pfeffernusse Cookies are sure to be a big hit at a holiday cookie swap or on your holiday dessert table. Add them to some of these other cookies for delicious gift giving:

Soft Ginger Cookies with Cinnamon Marshmallow Buttercream

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate Dipped Orange Shortbread 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Some of the best features of this recipe:

A delicious mix of warm spices stirred into a rich, simple syrup of molasses, honey, butter, and brown sugar.

Pfeffernusse is easily made ahead. Letting the dough sit overnight in the fridge deepens the flavors.

Each little cake is a moist, flavorful bite – tasty without being overly sweet.

An easy to make glaze of confectioners sugar and water adds just a touch of sweetness.

No need to remember to soften butter (my own personal problem!)

As with all of my recipes, Easy Spicy German Pfeffernusse Cookies are easy to make with no complicated techniques, no expensive kitchen equipment, and with ingredients that are easily found in any grocery store. 

Recipe Ingredients

Pfeffernusse:

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

½ tsp baking soda

¼ cup unsulphured molasses

¼ cup honey

⅓ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup butter

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp cardamom

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp ground allspice

1 large egg

Glaze:

2 cups confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)

3 to 3 ½ tbsp hot tap water

1 to 2 tsp lemon juice (optional)

Helpful Tools

• Large mixing bowl
• 2 Medium mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
• Small cup/bowl
• Small saucepan
• Measuring cup
• Measuirng spoons
• Plastic wrap
• Cookie scoop or tablespoon
• Silicone mats
• Baking sheets
• Wire rack

Ingredient Notes

Make sure you are using unsulphured molasses (Grandma’s brand is my go-to) and NOT blackstrap molasses.

Cardamom is a very expensive spice. If you don’t have it and don’t want to buy it, just leave it out.

A touch of lemon juice is a great addition to the glaze and really pairs well with the gingerbread flavor. If you don’t have any, you can omit it.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare your dry ingredients by whisking together the flour and baking soda in a large bowl. If you don’t have a whisk, just use a fork. Set aside.

2. Make your spice mix. Add the cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice in a small bowl or cup and stir. Set aside.

3. Cut the butter into tablespoon size pieces. It does not have to be perfect.

4. Add the molasses, honey, brown sugar and butter to a small saucepan.

5. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring regularly with a heat resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Do not boil.

6. Cook until the sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted.

7. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture into a large heat resistant bowl.

8. Stir the spice mix into the molasses and honey mixture using the spatula or wooden spoon.

9. Let the mixture cool down until it is only slightly warm to the touch, about 20 minutes.

10. When the mixture is cool, stir in the dry ingredients. Be sure all of the flour is incorporated by stirring up from the bottom and scraping the sides.

11. Place a piece of plastic wrap on your work surface.

12. Lay the dough on the plastic wrap and fold it up, covering the dough entirely.

13. Let the dough rest in the fridge for at least an hour to overnight.

14. About 15 minutes before you are going to use the dough, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

15. Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.

16. Form the pfeffernusse by scooping about a tablespoon of dough for each cookie and rolling it between your hands. 

17. Place the formed cookies on the prepared tray, leaving about 1 inch between each. They will flatten slightly as they cool.

18. Bake the cookies until they are lightly browned on the bottom, about 12-14 minutes. If you use two trays, rotate them midway through the bake.

19. Remove the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool.

20. Set aside one of the baking sheets with the mat or parchment paper to use when dipping the cookies.

21. Let the cookies cool completely before dipping them in glaze.

22. Mix 2 cups of confectioners sugar with 3 tbsp of hot water. You can add a bit more water if you want a thinner glazer or a bit more sugar for a thicker glaze.

23. Stir in 2 tsp of lemon juice.

24. Place the wire rack over the prepared baking sheet you used earlier.

25. Hold a cookie by the edges and dip the top into the glaze. Let the excess run back into the bowl.

26. Place the cookie on the wire rack and let the glaze harden.

Check out the printable recipe card, below, for step-by-step directions!

Storage

Store the completed cookies in an airtight container. If you stack them on top of one another, use a sheet of parchment paper to separate each layer so they don’t stick to one another. The cookies last about 4-5 days.

Tips & Tricks

Prepare the spice mix in advance so that it is ready to use as soon as the molasses and honey mixture is ready.

Letting the dough rest in the fridge at least an hour is absolutely necessary to ensure that the cookies keep their shape. Leaving it in the fridge overnight will make the spice flavors even more pronounced.

If you find that your confectioners sugar is lumpy, try sifting it. Place the sugar in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and tap the side of the sieve, letting the sugar fall into the bowl.

These are great cookies to make in advance because the flavor develops over time. Make sure to keep them in an airtight container to maintain freshness.

Putting together a cookie box to give to friends and family? Try alternating cookies with some of these delicious chocolates:

Best French Candy Recipe: Dark Chocolate Mendiants

Easy Creamy Homemade Chocolate Truffles