Super easy and cute Christmas cookies!

Bowl of Peppernuts

Hey! I need to confess something. I’m not a Christmas baker.

I know, crazy!! You’re not going to find a freezer full of fancy treats here, and if you do, our daughter likely made them.

Even though I don’t make fancy Christmas cookies….. I will make Peppernuts. Peppernuts, also called Pfeffernuesse (in Low German), are tiny Christmas cookies that are super addictive.

I usually make 2-4 batches of these cookies in December.  But, I've learned that I can't make them any earlier than about the second week of December as I have trouble not eating too many.

Maybe it’s because they’re tiny, but I find myself filling a small bowl to eat and then I realize it’s empty and I convince myself that it was just a small bowl so I should go get a few more……

Before I know it, I’ve had too many, but I still want to take a couple more for the road.

This recipe is from my Grandma Goerzen (my Dad’s Mom) and is a traditional Mennonite recipe.

BEFORE YOU START: The dough needs to be chilled for a couple hours to make the best cookies. So keep that in mind when you’re making them. They can be baked right away, but they are a little harder to roll out.

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup margarine (or butter)

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 3 tbsp cream (or milk)

• 3-1/2 cup flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp anise

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Cream margarine (or butter) with both brown and white sugars.

2. Add eggs and 3 tbsp of cream (or milk), mix till smooth.

3. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, anise, cinnamon and vanilla. Mix.

4. Add flour 1 cup at a time till all is mixed in. If you find your dough is crumbly, add a dribble of milk and mix again till combined and smooth.

5. Chill dough in fridge for 1 hour. I have left it overnight in the fridge and it works just fine.

6. Channel your inner child that loved play dough and roll dough out into long snakes 3/4” in diameter. Then cut into little circles about a 1/2” thick.

7. Place little cookie discs on cookie sheet and press down with your finger.

8. Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes. Yes, I’m serious 12 minutes. They are going to become dark brown hard cookies.

Now go and make these and share them. Try not to eat too many!

Happy Baking,

Heidi

P.S. Last year the kids and I made these and then gave them as teacher and bus driver thank you gifts.