Pfeffernusse are the best spice cookie of all time

Pfeffernusse or “pepper nuts” are a simple unassuming German spice cookie filled with incredible flavors in an easy to make recipe you’ll love. Bold statement incoming: I think they are the actual best spice cookie hands down.

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I will always tell you that my favorite cookie is the one I happen to be eating now, but what’s my favorite Christmas cookie? It’s Pfeffernusse by a long shot. Why these aren’t winning any beauty awards with their humble glazed brown rock exterior, they well make up for it in the taste camp.

And…if you can hold off eating them for a few days, they get BETTER. The spices mellow and now you have this perfect cookie that demands a hot cup of Earl grey or a strong black tea. I rather like them with East Frisian tea.

Let’s make a batch of your new favorite spice cookie!

Pfeffernusse

What are Pfeffernusse?

Pfeffernusse (Pfeffernüsse) may sound like a sneeze, but it just means “pepper nuts” in German. That being said, there is often no pepper in a pepper nut! Pepper in this sense just means, spicy, as in containing spices. This cookie dates back to 1753 when it was first made by Johann Fleischmann in Offenbach am Main. It was a favorite of the likes of people like Goethe and Mendelssohn, and the Brothers Grimm warned of their “warming” properties. In addition to the nuts, the cookies are covered with a powdered sugar glaze.

Pfeffernusse will remind you a little bit of cookies in the gingerbread family. My version contains pastry flour (I freshly mill soft wheat), ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and cloves with a little bit of spiced rum and tea in the glaze. They are immensely satisfying and I would even say that they strengthen you for the tasks of the day. Perhaps that sounds weird, but I’ve always found that to be the case.

Why Pfefferneuse should be in your cookie collection

1. Unique flavor: It’s reductive to call these cookies gingerbread. They have a unique flavor that’s complex, cozy, and kind of addictive.
2. Not difficult to make: While the glaze needs to dry for a while, this cookie is easy peasy to make.
3. They store well: All the spices make for a cookie that lasts for literally weeks. Think of these cookies as that everlasting fruitcake, but they’re the kind you actually want to eat.

Ways to vary your Pfeffernusse

1. Thicker icing: My glaze here is a bit sheer, but you can make it thicker if you’d like. Just cut the amount of liquid in the glaze down by half for a bright white icing.
2. Double or single dip?: I like to dip each cookie twice in the glaze. It gives you a little more icing which is good on a more sheer icing. Of course, you can single dip them too if you want to go light on glaze.
3. What if I don’t have all the spices?: While this is my preferred spice blend, you can also make these with chai spice blend, pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or gingerbread spice or a combo of ginger and cinnamon. They won’t taste the same, but you’ll still get a good spice cookie that’s worth eating.

The one thing you must do for the absolute best Pfeffernusse

Be patient!: A good Pfeffernuss needs time to age. Believe me I know that it is pure torture to set these cookies aside and not eat them right away, but trust me. There is a lot of spice in this cookie; even letting them age 1 day will mellow those flavors and help soften their strong edges.

Just like a pot of chili tastes better the 2nd day, Pfeffernusse need a hot minute to hang out in a tin before they taste as wonderful as they should. I put mine in a tin lined with parchment and put them in a cupboard where hopefully I’ll forget about them for a week.

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