I am finally doing it.

I am making pfeffernusse.

And you are saying feffer-what?

My mom made this cookies faithfully every single year for Christmas. The best part about them is that they last for weeks in an airtight can, and she made dozens and dozens and dozens of them. So an enterprising young child could sneak into the laundry room where they were kept, quietly pop the top on the big metal cherry can, steal a handful, rearrange the remaining cookies, and sneak away.

There were that many cookies in there.

Interestingly enough, when I went looking on the internet, the recipes were all wildly different. I haven't found one like mom's yet.

The Barefoot Kitchen Witch has no fruit in hers, and like mom's, has no powdered sugar.

Allrecipes says they should have pepper. Mom's has anise instead.

Mele Cotte does the powdered sugar thing.

The powdered sugar version will look familiar to most people, as this is how they come commercially packaged at the store. But mom is the only person I know who actually bakes them. This is my second batch. I made them...oh...more than eighteen years ago, when Mark and I were living in the trailer on Chaffee Creek Road. I never got around to it again.

I'd always say "THIS year I'm making pfeffernusse." I even bought the makings, once or twice. I'm using the candied fruit I bought last year with good intentions. That stuff has a three year shelf life. Or maybe ten years. Has it ever been tested?

Until now. Mom's recipe is one of those "add flour until it feels right" things, so I put a test batch in and they've just come out.

And they are amaaaaazing. It's Christmas at last. They will be even better in a week. This is one cookie that gets better with age.

Mine are perhaps a touch sweet. I think maybe a bit more molasses and a bit less honey, next time. (Post-note: the extra sweetness faded once they sat overnight). I threw in more walnuts and some Craisins (dried cranberries). Because, oh yes, I forgot to mention, this recipe makes 13 dozen cookies, and the batch is so huge I suggest you mix together everything but the flour, then split it in two big bowls, because you won't be able to handle it all in one bowl once you start pouring that flour in (approximately 3.5lbs). So you can get inventive with the second batch after tasting the first. I actually intended not to use candied fruit at all, but I didn't have enough dried fruit in the house.


Mom's Pfeffernusse

2 eggs
3/4 cup shortening (the only time I use Crisco)
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp allspice
4 tsp baking soda
2-3 cups mixed fruit
2 cups chopped nuts (I added more)
2 Tbsp anise seed
3/4 cup hot water
1 3/4 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cup molasses
1 3/4 cup honey
Flour to make stiff dough - very stiff
Form into small balls and bake 10-12 minutes at 375F
Makes 13 dozen
I suggest using old dark baking pans. The fancy coated cookie sheet was a failure.

Post Note: More history on this recipe here.