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German Spice Cookies Recipe
The German Spice Cookies recipe is also known as Pfeffernüsse cookies in Germany.
A traditional spice cookie served at Christmastime in Germany. This Christmas cookie recipe is perfect to mail out as the flavor gets better over time.
What are Pfeffernüsse Cookies?
Pfeffernüsse cookies are German Spice cookies a traditional German Christmas cookie recipe that is packed full of flavor of traditional Christmas spices.
When you are making and baking these German Spice Cookies your home will smell amazing. These cookies travel well and the flavor of the spice cookies get better with time.
Best Christmas Cookies for Shipping
If you need a Christmas cookie recipe that ships well so you can send a box of these Christmas cookies to family and friends these German Spice Cookies are perfect.
The outside of spice cookies are firm while the center is tender making German Spice cookies the best cookies for shipping.
Day #8 of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Flour On My Face: You are here German Spice Cookies
- Walking On Sunshine Recipes: Chunky Peanut Butter Cookies
- Glenda Embree: Checkerboard Sandwich Cookies
- Fat Dad Foodie: Sugar Roll Cookies
Have you missed one of the cookie recipes?
- Day #1 of 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Recipes: Almond Spritz Cookies Recipe
- Day #2 of 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Recipes: Old Fashioned Coconut Washboard Cookies
- Day #3 of 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Recipes: Mexican Wedding Cookies
- Day #4 of 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Recipes: Big Soft Ginger Cookies
- Day # 5 of 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Recipes: Chocolate Peppermint Blossom Cookies.
- Day #6 of 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Recipes: Raspberry Linzer Sandwich Cookies.
- Day #7 of 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Recipes: No-Bake OREO Snowball Cookies
- Day #8 of 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Recipes: German Spice Cookies
- Day #9 of 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Recipes: Easy Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
- Day #10 of 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Recipes: German Spritz Cookies
- Day #11 of 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Recipes: Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies
- Day #12 of 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Recipes: Christmas Sandwich Cookies
If you want to join in on the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies fun join my newsletter and you will get an email every time I post a new recipe on my website and you won’t miss any of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookie recipes!
Does baking cookies on parchment paper make a difference?
I love to line my cookie sheets with parchment paper. Even when I am using nonstick cookie sheets I line them with parchment paper.
The difference parchment paper makes is it helps cookies bake evenly on the bottom and keeps the cookie from sticking to the pan.
Have you ever baked cookies and one half of the cookie sheet of cookies are unevenly baked on the bottom and some of the cookies are baked perfectly golden brown?
This is the difference parchment paper makes when you line cookie sheets with it when baking cookies.
Parchment paper also makes clean up a breeze. Just discard the parchment paper and rise the cookie sheet well and you are done.
I bake all of my cookies on parchment paper lined cookie sheets except for Almond Spritz cookies.
What spices are in German Spice Cookies?
German Spice Cookies are made with ground cinnamon, ground black pepper, ground ginger, ground cardamon and ground cloves.
You can use ground spices from the grocery store or you can grind some of the whole spices yourself.
I used a mortar and pestle to grind the whole cloves, whole pepper and whole cardamon pods.
Ingredients Needed to make German Spice Cookies
- unbleached all purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- ground cinnamon
- ground black pepper
- ground ginger, ground cardamon
- ground cloves
- softened butter
- granulated sugar
- a large egg
- dark molasses
- powdered sugar
Easy Directions to make German Spice Cookies
- Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices in a bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until combined. Add the egg and molasses and beat until completely combined.
- Beat the flour into the butter mixture. Refrigerate and chill.
- Form balls with the chilled cookie dough.
- Bake and cool slightly. Dust with powdered sugar.
- Find the detailed instructions below.
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German Spice Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 18 Minutes
- Cook Time: 12 Minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 50 Cookies 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
German Spice Cookies Recipe are little pillows of a cookie. This German Christmas cookies is slightly crunch, sweet from the powdered sugar and packed full of Christmas spicy flavors.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup of butter softened
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup dark molasses
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined well.
- Add the ground cinnamon. ground cloves, ground cardamon and ground black pepper to bowl and whisk to blend the ground spices with the flour mixture. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and beat for one minute.
- Add the dark molasses to the bowl and beat until the molasses is completely combined with the sugar mixture.
- Add the flour to the bowl with the wet ingredients in increments beating on low with a hand mixer until all of the flour is mixed in. If your mixer begins to strain switch to a wooden spoon.
- Cover the blow with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or can be chilled over night if necessary.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. if using aluminum baking sheets and 350 F. if using dark non-stick cookie sheets.
- Once the dough has chilled form balls with a dough scoop or a tablespoon. Roll into balls and place on a greased or parchment paper covered cookie sheet. allow 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until the cookie is a light golden brown. Remove the baked cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before dusting the warm cookies with sifted powdered sugar.
- Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow to cool.
- Store cooled cookies in an air tight container for up to a week. Freeze cookies for up to three months if needed.
- Makes about 50 cookies.
- Category: Christmas Cookies
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cookie
- Calories: 96
- Sugar: 7.6g
- Sodium: 39.1g
- Fat: 3.9g
- Carbohydrates: 14.6g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1.1g
Keywords: German Spice Cookies recipe, Pfeffernüsse Cookies, German Christmas Cookies, Spice Cookie Recipe
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