These glazed German spiced cookies called Pfeffernüsse will win your heart and become your favorite Christmas cookie. They're packed with warm spices, sweetened with honey and brown sugar, and topped with a simple glaze for traditional Germany baking charm.
What are Pfeffernüsse?
These iced spice cookies are a delectable treat popular in Germany around Christmas. They're packed with spices including cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. And these soft and chewy cookies are the perfect sweet snack on a cold Winter day.
The word "Pfeffernüsse" translates to "pepper nuts". White pepper is commonly added in these cookies for a distinct flavor. But I prefer to leave out the white pepper, since it can be expensive and I don't use it for many other recipes.
Growing up in Germany, my sister and I would eagerly await Nikolaustag, or Saint Nicholas Day. On the night of December 5th, we would put our largest boots outside our front door. (The bigger the shoes, the more room for presents!)
If we were good all year, Saint Nicholas would visit and place gifts in our shoes like chocolate, tangerines, and packets of Lebkuchen and Pfeffernüsse! We'd tear out of our beds in the morning, run down the stairs two at a time, and whip open the door to see what goodies were brought to us. That's why these German spiced cookies hold a special place in my heart. 🙂
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter - Melted butter adds a chewy, soft texture to the cookies.
- Brown sugar - Sweetens with cookies with a caramel flavor and adds moisture.
- Honey - While molasses is common in spiced cookies in the U.S., honey is more traditional in German baking.
- All purpose flour - Provides the base structure for these chewy cookies. Its neutral flavor allows all the spices to be the star of the show.
- Salt - I recommend using non-iodized table salt or fine sea salt, which incorporates better into cookie dough compared to thicker kosher salt.
- Baking spices - Ground cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger add spiced, warm flavors quintessential to Pfeffernüsse. You could substitute all the individual spices for Lebukuchengewurz, which is a blend.
- Baking powder - Helps the cookies rise in the oven as they bake.
- Egg - Binds all the other ingredients together to form a cohesive dough.
- Powdered sugar - Mixed with water to form a sweet glaze on top of the cookies.
- Hot water - You could substitute milk or citrus juice like lemon or orange juice for more flavor, but it will affect the color of your glaze.
How to Make Iced Spice Cookies
Below are the general steps to make these delicious German spiced cookies. For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient measurements, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1. In a small saucepan on medium-low heat, melt the butter with the brown sugar, and honey.
3. Add the flour mixture and the egg into the melted butter mixture. Stir until it’s well combined.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until the cookies are dry on top and starting to turn golden on the bottom.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, ground spices, and baking powder.
4. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Space them out at least one inch apart on a baking sheet.
6. In a bowl, mix the powdered sugar and hot water. Brush the warm cookies with the glaze, then allow to cool.
Recipe Tips
- Allow the butter to cool a bit before mixing in the dry ingredients. This will prevent the cookies from spreading in the oven. They should puff up and rise, but not spread too much.
- If your dough still feels warm when you're rolling it into ball, place the formed dough balls in the fridge for 20 minutes before baking. This will prevent them from spreading too much in the oven.
- The smoother your cookie dough balls are, the smoother they'll be when they bake. Subsequently, the smoother finish you'll be able to get with your glaze. But it's okay if they're a little rough - who doesn't love the handmade look? 🙂
- Add two layers of glaze for a bolder white color and thicker glaze texture.
- If you don't want to make a glaze, Pfeffernusse are also commonly dusted with a generous coating of powdered sugar.
Storing
How to Store Baked Cookies
You can eat these cookies right away. But traditionally they are stored in a tin for at least two to three weeks to allow the flavors of the spices to deepen. Personally, I can never wait that long!
Keep leftover cookies stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three weeks.
How to Store Cookie Dough
Fridge: You can make this dough ahead of time. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to three days.
Freezer: If you plan to freeze your dough, I recommend to shape them into balls, freeze them for a couple hours on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer safe bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then bake them from frozen, adding a few extra minutes as needed to the baking time.
More German Baking Recipes
- German Onion Tart (Zwiebelkuchen mit Äpfeln)
- German Gingerbread Cookies (Lebkuchen)
- Almond Horn Cookies (Mandelhörnchen)
- German Marble Cake (Marmorkuchen)
- German Applesauce Cake
German Spiced Cookies (Pfeffernusse)
Ingredients
Cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar (packed into the measuring cup)
- ¼ cup honey
- 2½ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon table salt or fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoon hot water
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a small saucepan on medium-low heat, melt the butter with the brown sugar, and honey. Stir frequently until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, spices, and baking powder.
- Add the flour mixture and the egg into the melted butter mixture. Stir until it’s well combined. The dough will be thick and sticky, but there shouldn’t be any lumps of dry flour.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet, spaced about an inch apart from each other.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until the cookies are dry on top and starting to turn golden on the bottom. Watch them closely, because they bake quickly, and the bottoms can burn if you leave them in for just a couple minutes too long.
- While the cookies bake, prepare the glaze. In a bowl, mix the powdered sugar and hot water until it forms a thick paste.
- Brush the warm cookies with the glaze, which will thicken as it cools.
- You can eat the cookies right away, but for the best flavor, allow them to cool completely then store in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days, for the flavor to deepen, then enjoy.
Notes
- If your dough still feels warm when you're rolling it into ball, place the formed dough balls in the fridge for 20 minutes before baking. This will prevent them from spreading too much in the oven.
- The smoother your cookie dough balls are, the smoother they'll be when they bake. Subsequently, the smoother finish you'll be able to get with your glaze.
- Add two layers of glaze for a bolder white color and thicker glaze texture.
- If you don't want to make a glaze, Pfeffernüsse are also commonly dusted with a generous coating of powdered sugar.
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