Ingredients
Cookies
2 ??cups?unbleached all-purpose flour
??teaspoon?baking soda
??teaspoon?ground cinnamon
??teaspoon?ground allspice
??teaspoon?ground cloves
??teaspoon?freshly ground nutmeg
??teaspoon?freshly ground pepper
??cup?(1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
??cup?firmly packed light-brown sugar
??cup?unsulfured molasses
1?large?egg
??teaspoon?pure vanilla extract
Glaze
3 ??cups?confectioners' sugar
??cup?whole milk, plus more if needed
??teaspoon?kirsch or other cherry-flavored liqueur, optional
To decorate (optional)
Coarsely ground pink peppercorns
??teaspoon?luster dust, preferably metallic
??teaspoon?kirsch
Directions
Preheat oven, prep baking sheets, and combine dry ingredients:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and spices. Set aside
Beat butter sugar and molasses, add egg and vanilla:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, brown sugar, and molasses on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla.
Before measuring the molasses,?coat the measuring cup with vegetable oil cooking spray. The molasses will slide right out like a miracle, with no sticky mess left behind.
Add flour mixture:
With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture; beat until just combined.
Form cookies:
Pinch off a heaping teaspoon of dough, roll into a ball, and place on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining dough, spacing balls 1 1/2 inches apart.
Dough can be frozen at this point, covered tightly with plastic wrap, up to 1 month.
Bake:
Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are golden and firm to the touch with slight cracking, about 15 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make glaze and dip cookies:
Fit a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, milk, and kirsch, if desired. Using a fork, dip each cookie in glaze to coat. Tap to remove excess glaze and place on wire rack to dry. Repeat with remaining cookies.
Deocrate cookies (optional):
While the glaze is still wet, top cookies with a small pinch of peppercorns, if desired. Alternatively, let glaze dry completely before mixing together luster dust and kirsch with a small paintbrush. Lightly brush tops of cookies with luster dust mixture, if desired. Let dry before serving.
Don’t be afraid of the. pink peppercorns:?Since the pfeffernusse dough is already flavored with black pepper, it may seem like overload to decorate the cookies with even more peppercorns. However, pink peppercorns aren’t actually pepper at all—they come from a tree in the cashew family. Pink peppercorns are mildly sweet and highly aromatic, adding a beautiful, fragrant decoration to your pfeffernusse without adding more peppery heat.
Variation: Decorating With Confectioners' Sugar Not a Glaze
You can skip the glaze and decorations and finish the cookies with confectioners' sugar instead:
- Place 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar in a brown paper bag.
- After baking, transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
- Working in batches, place cookies in paper bag; shake until well coated. Let cool completely on wire rack.
Storing Pfeffernusse
The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.