Pfeffern
Submitted by marges
Pfeffernüsse-style German spice cookies with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, mace, and allspice, finished with a drop of brandy before baking. A traditional holiday cookie that keeps for weeks in a tin.
YIELD
2 dozenPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
1 hrsPfeffern are a sibling of the classic German pfeffernüsse, tiny spiced cookies built for long storage in a tin. This version skips the molasses heaviness and leans on a dry, spice-forward dough lifted with lemon zest and a single drop of brandy placed on each cookie before baking.
The overnight rest on the sheet pan before baking isn’t decorative. It lets the surface dry so the cookies hold their shape and develop that characteristic firm-yet-tender bite. Skip it and the cookies spread into puddles.
Five warm spices (cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and mace) carry the flavor, so don’t shortcut the spice list.
Pro Tips
- Chill the dough a full 2 hours before rolling. Colder dough rolls cleaner and resists sticking.
- Roll to a full ½ inch thick. These are meant to be bite-sized and chunky, not thin and snappy.
- The overnight rest is required, not optional. Plan for two days of total time.
- Store in a tightly sealed tin with a slice of apple or a piece of bread for 24 hours after baking. The cookies soften slightly and the flavor deepens.
- Any unsalted nut works. Hazelnuts, almonds, or walnuts are traditional.
Variations
- Swap brandy for dark rum or a bourbon for a warmer finish.
- Use ground cardamom in place of mace if it’s easier to find.
- Glaze cooled cookies with a thin lemon icing for a more festive, bakery-style look.
Ingredients
Directions
Measure flour and sift with baking powder, salt, and spices.
Add sugar slowly to beaten eggs and stir in lemon juice and grated lemon rind.
Add dry ingredients and nuts and mix well.
Refrigerate 2 hours. Roll out ½ inch thick and cut with tiny cutter ¾ inch round.
Let cookies stand over night in cool place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Just before baking, put a drop of brandy on each cookie.
Bake brandy side up in 300℉ (150℃) oven for ½ hour.
Cool thoroughly and place in tightly covered jar.
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