Several years ago, I wrote about how much I enjoyed my Grandmother Bloy’s Pfeffernüsse when she was still around to make them. When I was a kid, it just wasn’t Christmas time if I didn’t have some of those small, crunchy, spicy cookies.

Also several years ago, I got a copy of my grandmother’s recipe from my mother, with the intention of trying to make them myself. This year, I finally did. I should probably mention, these are not the same pfeffernüsse you often see in the grocery store this time of year (which are much larger and covered with powdered sugar). Apparently my Grandmother followed a different traditional German recipe.

Wet Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Dark Corn Syrup
• 1/2 Cup Molasses
• 1/2 Cup Shortening
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 Cup White Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Boiling Water

Dry Ingredients

• 1/2 Tsp Cardamom
• 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 Tsp Cloves
• 1/2 Tsp Anise or 1/8 Tsp Anise Extract
• 3/4 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 Cup Nuts (chopped)
• 1/4 Cup Citron
• 3 Cups Flour (more or less)

Put the wet ingredients into a pot and boil for 15 minutes. Let cool until lukewarm.

Mix in the dry ingredients except for the flour. Next add the flour gradually until the mixture is stiff enough to handle, then chill (to make it easier to roll and cut).

Once chilled, roll into sausage-like strips about a penny or nickel in diameter (2/3-3/4 of an inch). Then cut into 1/4-1/3 inch thick pieces.

Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes. Cookies are done when the tops spring back when you touch them with your finger.

Makes approximately 250.

My experience

The citron I bought was in pretty large pieces. So I basically minced it before adding.

I also had a hard time keeping the dough round while I was cutting it. I think my baking inexperience lead me to use less flour than I should have (I only used about two and a half cups), and the dough wasn’t stiff enough. So instead of using the roll and cut method described above, I took small bits of dough in my floured hand (enough to make an appropriately sized cookie), rolled it into a ball, then pressed it flat with my fingers and placed it on the cookie sheet. After I got the hang of getting the correct amount, the results turned out pretty well.

I left the first batch in the oven a little too long. They came out a bit burned on the bottom. Once the pfeffernüsse from the second batch cooled, I put one in my mouth (okay more than one). They were pretty good — real close to what I remember. Thanks again Grandma, and Merry Christmas everyone.