Pfeffernusse (Iced German Gingerbread Biscuits)

by Gail Haselsteiner

I was searching for this recipe on Pinterest and found this one on YouTube as a tutorial.

Am very pleased how they turned out, would have made my mother-in-law proud. This is one of her many recipes I didn’t get before she passed on 🌺

Pfeffernusse
Iced German Gingerbread biscuits

2 tsp gingerbread spice** (10 ml)
2 cups plain flour (500 ml)
1/2 tsp baking soda (2.5 ml)
1/4 tsp salt (1.25 ml)
1/2 tsp black/white pepper I used white (2.5 ml)
1/4 cup ground almonds (60 ml)
1 extra large egg lightly beaten
70 g butter
3 Tbsps whipping cream (45 ml)
3/4 cup muscovado sugar (185 ml) or you can use soft brown sugar
1/3 cup honey (80 ml)

**Gingerbread spice - combine all spices together and store in an airtight container in a dark place.

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground star anise
1/4 tsp ground mace
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Method

In a saucepan on medium heat, bring butter to a hot temperature with cream, sugar and honey stirring until sugar has dissolved. Don't let it boil. Set aside for 5 minutes.
In a bowl sift flour, add baking soda, salt and pepper, gingerbread spice & ground almonds, stir, then add beaten egg and mix with a wooden spoon. Add melted butter mixture stirring until combined. The dough will be soft & sticky.
Roll up dough into a fat sausage, cover with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours. Best to mix dough and leave overnight in fridge.

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan assist oven) prepare a cookie tray with a silpat baking mat.

Divide dough into 2 pieces, then halve again. Roll each portion into a 9-inch length sausage roll and cut 3/4-inch pieces from the rolls. Roll into balls and space apart on baking mat. Bake for +- 15 mins. Transfer to cool on wire rack. Dip biscuits in glazed icing. Yields 26 biscuits.

Glazed Icing - mix together 2 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar with up to 4 - 5 Tbsps hot water until the desired consistency is reached to dip your biscuits. Drain on a wire rack and let icing set.

Recipe Credit: Geoff’s Baking Blog - YouTube