FBG Christmas Cookie Exchange (1 Viewer)

[Eephus]

I checked but couldn't find a thread.  I figured for sure there would be one after the flood of Christmas threads last week.

I've been baking them for years.  Started off with the kids "helping" with rolling pins and cookie cutters and have gone from there.  I try some new recipes every year but have one standby that it wouldn't be Christmas without.

They're Pfeffernüsse (German for pepper nuts) cookies.  They were always my favorite among the many varieties my mom used to make.  My dad's family is German so I always assumed they were some old family tradition.  This year one of my more ambitious cousins organized an extended family cookbook project.  I asked the large group of cousins if they'd ever had them before but nobody except my sisters had them as children.  So the origin story changes to my Japanese-American mother trying to find a suitable holiday recipe for her husband.  I guess I like that one even better although she probably just clipped it from the newspaper.

One positive outcome of the cookie project is that it forced me to write down my Pfeffernüsse recipe as it's evolved over the years.
 

Pfeffernüsse Cookies

Dry ingredients
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper (can use black pepper)
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Wet ingredients
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 teaspoon anise extract (can substitute vanilla or whiskey)
3/4 cup chopped raisins (can use dried cranberries or a mix of the two).  Sprinkling a little flour on top makes it easier to chop the dried fruit without sticking.

After baking
Powdered sugar

---------------------------------

1. Combine dry ingredients and shake to distribute the spices

2. In another bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, honey and molasses until smooth.  Add the eggs and anise extract.  Beat for another minute

3. Add the dry ingredients and dried fruit until just combined.  Don't overmix.

4. Chill the dough in the frig for a couple of hours

5. When ready to bake, pre heat oven to 325 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment.

6. Roll the dough into 1/2 inch balls.  Place cookies on baking sheet with at least 1 inch of space around them

7. Bake 15 min or until golden brown

8. Cool for 5 min.  Roll cookies in powdered sugar while still slightly warm

I like my cookies chewy.  If you want a crunchier texture, leave out the fruit and increase oven temp from 325 to 350.

 

[Mister CIA]

I checked but couldn't find a thread.  I figured for sure there would be one after the flood of Christmas threads last week.

I've been baking them for years.  Started off with the kids "helping" with rolling pins and cookie cutters and have gone from there.  I try some new recipes every year but have one standby that it wouldn't be Christmas without.

They're Pfeffernüsse (German for pepper nuts) cookies.  They were always my favorite among the many varieties my mom used to make.  My dad's family is German so I always assumed they were some old family tradition.  This year one of my more ambitious cousins organized an extended family cookbook project.  I asked the large group of cousins if they'd ever had them before but nobody except my sisters had them as children.  So the origin story changes to my Japanese-American mother trying to find a suitable holiday recipe for her husband.  I guess I like that one even better although she probably just clipped it from the newspaper.

One positive outcome of the cookie project is that it forced me to write down my Pfeffernüsse recipe as it's evolved over the years.
 

I have all the ingredients in my pantry, including raisins AND cranberries.  May give this a whirl on Saturday.

Crunchy cookie vs chewy should a poll.  I'm in camp "more crunchy than chewy."

 

[Eephus]

I made three batches tonight:  the Pfeffernüsse, a sour cream sugar cookie with a cakey texture that probably could use some icing and some gluten free chocolate/peanut butter/tahini cookies. 

For the latter I used this recipe with additional Dutch cocoa to make them double chocolate.  Nobody in the house is gluten intolerant but I had some almond flour and tahini I wanted to use up and the recipe using 1/2 cup of maple syrup sounded intriguing.  They turned out very good with a nice crunch contrasting with the melted chocolate chips.  Looking forward to dunking one in my coffee tomorrow.

 

[Zegras11]

Do you pin the cookies in pairs?

 

[Eephus]

Do you pin the cookies in pairs?

Only if I was going to wash them

 

[SWC]

i make rasberry streusel like the sauerkraut that i am and its ok bromigo in the summer and fall i make it with ruhbarb and that is even better so i salute you and will support you take that to the bank bromigo

 

[Mr. Ected]

I checked but couldn't find a thread.  I figured for sure there would be one after the flood of Christmas threads last week.

I've been baking them for years.  Started off with the kids "helping" with rolling pins and cookie cutters and have gone from there.  I try some new recipes every year but have one standby that it wouldn't be Christmas without.

They're Pfeffernüsse (German for pepper nuts) cookies.  They were always my favorite among the many varieties my mom used to make.  My dad's family is German so I always assumed they were some old family tradition.  This year one of my more ambitious cousins organized an extended family cookbook project.  I asked the large group of cousins if they'd ever had them before but nobody except my sisters had them as children.  So the origin story changes to my Japanese-American mother trying to find a suitable holiday recipe for her husband.  I guess I like that one even better although she probably just clipped it from the newspaper.

One positive outcome of the cookie project is that it forced me to write down my Pfeffernüsse recipe as it's evolved over the years.
 

My 12 y.o. (almost 13) daughter needed to make cookies for a project for a German class in MS, and she made Pfeffernüsse, although the recipe she used was slightly different (no raisins and more 'regular' sugar than the honey and molasses. (I bet those make yours yummy!)

She also made some Heidesand cookies which are a "Traditional German Browned Butter Shortbread Cookie." These are delicious!

The best part was the fact that all I had to do was help with browning butter for the second cookie. She was able to do the whole thing by herself, showing her friend what she was doing along the way!

 

[Eephus]

My 12 y.o. (almost 13) daughter needed to make cookies for a project for a German class in MS, and she made Pfeffernüsse, although the recipe she used was slightly different (no raisins and more 'regular' sugar than the honey and molasses. (I bet those make yours yummy!)

She also made some Heidesand cookies which are a "Traditional German Browned Butter Shortbread Cookie." These are delicious!

The best part was the fact that all I had to do was help with browning butter for the second cookie. She was able to do the whole thing by herself, showing her friend what she was doing along the way!

LOL, my Pfeffernüsse recipe has twice the total amount of spices than a recipe posted by a spice company.

I always enjoyed baking with my kids.  There are enough tasks to delegate to multiple helpers and few involve sharp objects. There's also not the time crunch you frequently encounter when cooking stuff on the stove top.

Baking became a long-term avocation for my son.  Part of his current Air Force side hustle is to sell homemade baked goods (Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodles and Banana muffins) every Monday to other Airmen on base.

 

[xulf]

I checked but couldn't find a thread.  I figured for sure there would be one after the flood of Christmas threads last week.

I've been baking them for years.  Started off with the kids "helping" with rolling pins and cookie cutters and have gone from there.  I try some new recipes every year but have one standby that it wouldn't be Christmas without.

They're Pfeffernüsse (German for pepper nuts) cookies.  They were always my favorite among the many varieties my mom used to make.  My dad's family is German so I always assumed they were some old family tradition.  This year one of my more ambitious cousins organized an extended family cookbook project.  I asked the large group of cousins if they'd ever had them before but nobody except my sisters had them as children.  So the origin story changes to my Japanese-American mother trying to find a suitable holiday recipe for her husband.  I guess I like that one even better although she probably just clipped it from the newspaper.

One positive outcome of the cookie project is that it forced me to write down my Pfeffernüsse recipe as it's evolved over the years.
 

Made these last night and they are really good 

Thanks for the recipe...we went no fruit but 325 for the softer cookie.  My 7 year old, who is very picky, likes them too!

 

[New Binky the Doormat]

pin this - we like to try a new cookie each year - but it's getting to the point where we just have too many ...still love to hear about them.