The idea of a cookie made with pepper might seem bizarre in some parts of the world, but for the Danish, it’s a delicious treat. The Danish pepper cookie is a traditional part of the Christmas celebrations for the country. These cookies, otherwise known as “peppernuts”, are popular throughout Germany and the Netherlands too.
Ingredients
- 8 oz all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp of ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp vanilla powder
- 4 ½ oz of sugar
- 1 tsp of baking soda
- 4 ¼ oz soft butter
- 1 egg
- Pinch of salt
Directions
- Sift your flour and mix in the spices and sugar slowly, making sure everything is thoroughly combined before you add any wet ingredients.
- Add your soft butter and egg, then use your stand mixer or hands to mix and knead the dough into a smooth, uniform consistency.
- Divide the dough into sections and roll each section into a long bar. Use a sharp knife to cut the bars into walnut-sized portions and roll the pieces into ball shapes.
- Line an oven tray with parchment paper and pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees farenheit. Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Check on the cookies and remove them from the oven when they look golden brown.
- Let the peppernuts cool before storing them in a jar or airtight box.
Tip: Serve alongside other traditional Danish cookies as part of your Julefrokost feast.
Danish peppernuts origin
The Pebernodder cookie is a snack you’ll see almost constantly throughout the month of December in Denmark, Norway, Germany, and the Netherlands. The sweet and spicy snack warms the body a little like gingerbread, and the small cookies are wonderfully morish.
Scandification: Discovering Scandinavia.
