Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (or coconut oil)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp anise extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 3/4 tsp ground white pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar (for rolling (divided, optional))

Instruction

  • Add molasses, honey, and butter (or coconut oil) to a small saucepan set over medium heat. As the mixture heats, stir to combine ingredients until it's smooth and well-mixed (about five minutes). Remove saucepan from heat and let molasses mixture cool to room temperature. You want it to cool before continuing so the hot mixture doesn't begin to "cook" the egg.
  • In a separate small bowl, whisk together egg and anise extract. Once the molasses mixture has sufficiently cooled, very slowly pour in small amounts of the egg mixture, whisking continually, until all is combined.
  • In a separate bowl, add flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, white pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk to combine. Pour molasses mixture into bowl with the dry ingredients and stir so that everything is combined and mixture is smooth, trying not to overmix. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
  • Once dough is chilled, preheat oven to 325°F and line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. Add 1/4 cup of confectioners' sugar to a small bowl and set aside. Scoop small balls of dough (approx. the size of a large gumball), roll into a sphere with your hands, and roll all sides in the confectioners' sugar, dusting off any additional sugar. Discard remainder of sugar.
  • Place cookies about 1 1/2" - 2" apart from one another on lined baking sheets. Bake for 11 or so minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are mostly firm to the touch and bottoms have darkened slightly. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5-6 minutes, and then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Once cooled completely, you may coat or dust pfeffernusse in remaining 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar before serving if you prefer.