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The makeup for these cookies is very simple. I am FOR it! Step 1: Cream Butter and Sugar Together In researching these cookies, I learned that traditionally these cookies were made about a month before Christmas and kept in metal tins to “age” before the holidays. One of the other special things about these cookies is that they keep for a REALLY long time and the flavor actually keeps developing, getting better and better. I am very much on Team Pepper in these special little cookies! How to Make Peppernuts But I learned that this ingredient is also controversial. I have always added it to mine and had believed this is where the cookies got the “pepper” part of their name and really what makes them so unique and special. One ingredient that I was surprised wasn’t a unanimous “absolutely yes” from the group, is the use of white pepper in the cookies. Beyond that, most recipes use ground cinnamon and ground ginger, and then others add various combinations of cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and some use ground nuts or nut flour. The one main ingredient that seems to have a general consensus from the group is that anise (most recipes use anise oil) is an absolute must in a true peppernut. It seems each family’s recipe has a different variation on the spice combination, and in talking to friends from my hometown who do have family recipes, they are quite opinionated and passionate about what should go into them! The cookies from each person we received them from would have a slightly different flavor, and I personally loved them all. My family in particular did not make these amazing cookies, rather we would often receive them as gifts from various other people. It is really hard to stop eating them, once you start. The cookies are crunchy and flavorful and eaten by the handful. Peppernuts, also known as pfeffernusse cookies and very similar with Danish pebernodder cookies, are a tiny cookie about the size of a nut (this is where the name comes from) that are filled with all kinds of spices. If you’re looking for some unique holiday cookie recipes, this one is a must add to your lineup! What are Peppernuts? The area where I grew up (Hutchinson, KS) has a fairly large population of German Mennonite and because this is a traditional German recipe, these addictive little cookies are very popular during the holidays. Growing up in Kansas, there was one particular cookie that was a staple at every holiday event: Peppernuts. They are a highly addictive, tiny, crunchy cookie filled with warming spices and are perfect for gift giving during the holidays! Peppernuts (or Pfeffernusse Cookies) are a traditional German cookie often made in Mennonite communities in the US.