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Eggless Peppernuts – Traditional German Christmas Cookie // No Maida, No Sugar

Richa GuptaThu Dec 07 2023
BakingVeganSnack
Eggless Peppernuts – Traditional German Christmas Cookie // No Maida, No Sugar

Christmas is around the corner and all I am thinking about is cookies and cakes and non-alcoholic gluhwein (Oh yeah! That’s a thing too). The aroma of baked cookies and cakes at home makes you feel festive. This time we decided to make a traditional German Christmas Cookie (which is more popular in Denmark). These Christmas cookies are highly addictive, crispy, and crunchy and because of their nut size, you can’t stop yourself from eating a handful of them.

Baking these cookies during the Christmas holidays can be a fun exercise to do with the kids. They are going to enjoy it. Bake an extra batch so that you can gift these cookies to your family and friends too. I even heard that people make it a month before the holidays because it develops more flavor by then. So, take out your baking essentials, and let’s get baking!

What is Peppernut Cookies (or Pfeffernusse Cookies)?

Peppernut Cookies (or Pfeffernusse Cookie) is a traditional German Cookies made during the festival season. These are tiny nut-sized, crispy, and crunchy cookies flavored with different spices. White pepper is one of the main ingredients for these cookies and I guess that is why they are called Peppernut Cookies. Another ingredient that is commonly added is Star Anise. All these spices make it warm and unstoppable during the cold winter season.

This recipe is inspired by the cookies our friend got for us from Denmark. It is quite popular there during the festive season. I tried to replicate the same taste and made them eggless and without any refined flour or sugar.

Tips to bake them perfectly

  1. Sifting: Sifting the dry ingredients is very important. Sometimes your sugar or flour contains some tiny lumps that are unnoticeable. And it gets difficult to form a smooth dough if they have any lumps.
  2. Room temperature ingredients: Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. We do not want extra soft or hard butter for the recipe. Take the butter out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking.
  3. Refrigerating the dough: Butter melts while you mix the dough and roll. That makes the dough extra soft to handle. Refrigerating the dough for 25 to 30 minutes helps in making it firm and easy to roll and shape.
  4. Overmixing: Overmixing the dough is another problem that results in hard and unpleasant cookies. It even develops gluten that results in flaky cookies. To prevent that, mix only until you do not see any dry flour in the bowl.

What is the texture of Peppernut Cookies?

These cookies are firm, crispy, and crunchy. They spread and puff up a little while baking. They are soft right after baking but once they are cooled they become extra crispy.

How to store Peppernut Cookies?

You can put these cookies in an air-tight container and leave them on the counter for up to a month. So, you can start baking them well in advance, and that makes these cookies perfect for gifting during the festivities.

Can we freeze the cookie dough?

You can refrigerate the cookie dough for 4 to 5 days.

You can even put it in a zip-lock back and freeze it for up to a month. When you want to bake cookies, put the dough in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to soften, and then roll and bake them.

Is this recipe vegan-friendly?

Yes. All the ingredients used in this recipe are plant-based and vegan. You can either use dairy or vegan milk. Also, use either dairy or plant-based butter. It is your choice.

Ingredients List

Peppernut Christmas Cookies

Cooking Method

Peppernut Cookies Prep Method

Peppernut Cookies Prep Method

Peppernut Cookies Prep Method

More cookies – just as good

  1. 3-Ingredients Cinnamon Puffs (Vegan Palmiers)
  2. Chocolate Filled Butter Cookies
  3. 100% Whole Wheat Gingerbread Cookies
  4. 1 Dough, Many Cookies – Butter Almond Cookies
  5. Eggless Christmas Cookies with vegan royal icing decoration

Now grab all the ingredients because you are ready to make these addictive and cute little Christmas cookies at home. It is perfect to make in this festive season and grab all the attention and appreciation.

If you try this recipe and like it too, please share the photo of your creation on Instagram and tag us @thefearlesscooking. We just love to see your recreation of our recipes.

Happy Cooking 🙂

Love from us

Richa

Eggless Peppernuts – Traditional German Christmas Cookie // No Maida, No Sugar

Eggless. No Sugar. No Refined Flour.

Holidays are about spending time with the family. And this time can be made fun when you involve everybody in making these tiny nut-size cookies. Nothing like the aroma of warming spices to bring out the festive mood. Let's bake these Peppernut Cookies. 

150

Servings

5 min

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

35 min

Total Time

Courses

Snack

Cuisines

Baking Vegan

Ingredients

Steps

Prep Ahead
  1. Take out butter and milk from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you start baking. Every ingredient should be at room temperature. 
  2. Crush star anise and cardamom into powder. Remove the outer cover of cardamom and grind just the seeds. 
    3. You can use the outer cover of cardamom in tea.
Dough
  1. In a large bowl, sift jaggery powder. Add butter to it and whisk them together until light and creamy, about 5 to 7 minutes. 
  2. Sift in the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. 
  3. Add milk to make a dough. Add milk only if it is needed to form a firm dough.
  4. Cover in an air-tight container and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 
Baking
  1. Preheat oven to 170°C, top/bottom setting.
  2. Divide the dough into 4 parts. There is no need for each part to be equally measured. 
  3. Press 1 piece of dough into a ball and roll it out between your hand and a clean work surface to form a thin rope about ¼ inch thick. Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut out tiny nut-sized pieces of dough. Place on a lined baking tray leaving some space in between. 
    4. You can roll each piece into a ball shape before placing them on the baking tray.
  4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until dark golden brown on top. Check after 10 minutes and bake further until done.
    5. While first batch is baking, you can roll and cut the second batch of cookies.
  5. Once done, take them out and let them rest for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a cooling rack and cool completely. They will be soft to the touch after baking but become crispy once they are completely cooled. 
  6. Transfer them to an air-tight container and enjoy. 
Note
  1. This recipe will make around 150 tiny nut-sized cookies. 
  2. The dough may break while rolling on the surface but that is okay. You can cut and roll them into a ball shape. 
  3. Adjust the spices and sugar according to your taste. Whole wheat flour needs more seasoning and sugar compared to all-purpose flour. 

FAQs

What is Peppernut Cookies (or Pfeffernusse Cookies)?
+

Peppernut Cookies (or Pfeffernusse Cookie) is a traditional German Cookies made during the festival season. These are tiny nut-sized, crispy, and crunchy cookies flavored with different spices. White pepper is one of the main ingredients for these cookies and I guess that is why they are called Peppernut Cookies. Another ingredient that is commonly added is Star Anise. All these spices make it warm and unstoppable during the cold winter season.

What is the texture of Peppernut Cookies?
+

These cookies are firm, crispy, and crunchy. They spread and puff up a little while baking. They are soft right after baking but once they are cooled they become extra crispy.

How to store Peppernut Cookies?
+

You can put these cookies in an air-tight container and leave them on the counter for up to a month. So, you can start baking them well in advance, and that makes these cookies perfect for gifting during the festivities.

Can we freeze the cookie dough?
+
You can refrigerate the cookie dough for 4 to 5 days. You can even put it in a zip-lock back and freeze it for up to a month. When you want to bake cookies, put the dough in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to soften, and then roll and bake them.
Is this recipe of Peppernut Cookies vegan-friendly?
+

Yes. This recipe of Peppernut Cookies is vegan-friendly. You can either use dairy or vegan milk. Also, use either dairy or plant-based butter. It is your choice.

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