German Spice Cookies Recipe (2024)

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German Spice Cookies are also known as Pfeffernüsse cookies in Germany. This traditional German cookie is served at Christmastime in Germany and is much like our gingerbread cookies. The difference is they are made in the perfect bite size and coated with a heavy coating of sweet powdered sugar.

German Spice Cookies Recipe (1)

When you are making and baking these German Spice Cookies your home will smell amazing. These cookies travel well and the flavor of spice cookies just gets better with time.

The outside of spice cookies are firm while the center is tender making German Spice cookies the perfect cookies for shipping because they are not delicate.

German Spice Cookies are the perfect cookie if you are mailing out a box of goodies for a loved one. They also last a very long time before going stale.

German Spice Cookies Recipe (2)

Ingredients Needed

  • unbleached all purpose flour
  • baking powder
  • baking soda
  • ground cinnamon
  • ground black pepper
  • ground ginger
  • ground cardamom
  • ground cloves
  • softened butter
  • granulated sugar
  • a large egg
  • dark molasses
  • powdered sugar
German Spice Cookies Recipe (3)

Let's make the recipe

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices in a bowl and set aside.

German Spice Cookies Recipe (4)

Use a whisk to evenly blend the spices with the dry ingredients.

German Spice Cookies Recipe (5)

In a large bowl beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until combined.

German Spice Cookies Recipe (6)

Add the egg and molasses to the bowl and beat until completely combined.

German Spice Cookies Recipe (7)

Beat the flour into the butter mixture. If your mixer starts to strain switch to a wooden spoon.

German Spice Cookies Recipe (8)

Cover the bowl and refrigerate so the dough firms up.

German Spice Cookies Recipe (9)

Once the dough has firmed up form dough into small balls. Use a dough scoop to make the dough balls the same size. Or use a teaspoon to measure before rolling the balls.

German Spice Cookies Recipe (10)

Bake the cookies 12 to 14 minutes or until the cookie is a light golden brown. Remove the baked cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before dusting the warm cookies with sifted powdered sugar.

German Spice Cookies Recipe (11)

Use a small fine meshed wire strainer to dust the warm cookies with powdered sugar.

German Spice Cookies Recipe (12)

Recipe FAQs

What are Pfeffernüsse cookies

Pfeffernüsse cookies are German Spice cookies a traditional German Christmas cookie recipe that is packed full of flavor of traditional Christmas spices.

What spices are in German Pfeffernüsse Spice Cookies?

German Spice Cookies are made with ground cinnamon, ground black pepper, ground ginger, ground cardamom and ground cloves.

Does baking cookies on parchment paper make a difference?

Parchment paper helps cookies bake evenly on the bottom and keeps the cookie from sticking to the pan.

Recipe Expert Tips

  • Spices: You can use ground spices from the grocery store or you can grind some of the whole spices yourself. I used a mortar and pestle to grind the whole cloves, whole pepper and whole cardamom pods.
  • Parchment Paper: I bake all of my cookies on parchment paper lined cookie sheets except for Almond Spritz cookies. Have you ever baked cookies and one half of the cookies are unevenly baked on the bottom and some of the cookies are baked perfectly golden brown? This is the difference parchment paper makes when you line cookie sheets with it when baking cookies. Parchment paper also makes clean up a breeze. Just discard the parchment paper and rise the cookie sheet well and you are done.
  • Forming the cookie balls: A dough scoop comes in very handy when making uniform shaped balls of cookie dough.
  • Dusting with sugar: Dust the cookies with sugar while they are still warm or the sugar will not stick to the cookies.

Best Christmas Cookies for Shipping

If you need a Christmas cookie recipe that ships well you can send a box of these Christmas cookies to family and friends.

German Spice Cookies Recipe (13)

More Christmas Cookies from FOMF

  • German Spritz Cookies (Butter Cookies)
  • Mexican Wedding Cookies
  • Christmas Sandwich Cookies

More Christmas Cookies from friends of FOMF

German Spice Cookies Recipe (14)
German Spice Cookies Recipe (15)

Email questions or recipe requests to flouronmyface@gmail.com. Follow me on Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

German Spice Cookies Recipe (16)

German Spice Cookies Recipe

Arlene Mobley - Flour On My Face

German Spice Cookies Recipe are little pillows of a cookie. This German Christmas cookies is slightly crunch, sweet from the powdered sugar and packed full of Christmas spicy flavors.

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 18 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine German

Servings 50 Cookies

Calories 66 kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamon
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground )
  • 1 cup butter (softened)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup dark molasses
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

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Instructions

  • In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined well.

  • Add the ground cinnamon. ground cloves, ground cardamon and ground black pepper to bowl and whisk to blend the ground spices with the flour mixture. Set aside.

  • In a separate large mixing bowl beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and beat for one minute.

  • Add the dark molasses to the bowl and beat until the molasses is completely combined with the sugar mixture.

  • Add the flour to the bowl with the wet ingredients in increments beating on low with a hand mixer until all of the flour is mixed in. If your mixer begins to strain switch to a wooden spoon.

  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or can be chilled over night if necessary.

  • Preheat the oven to 375 F. if using aluminum baking sheets and 350 F. if using dark non-stick cookie sheets.

  • Once the dough has chilled form balls with a dough scoop or a tablespoon. Roll into balls and place on a greased or parchment paper covered cookie sheet. allow 2 inches between each cookie.

  • Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until the cookie is a light golden brown. Remove the baked cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before dusting the warm cookies with sifted powdered sugar.

  • Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow to cool.

  • Store cooled cookies in an air tight container for up to a week. Freeze cookies for up to three months if needed.

Video

Recipe Expert Tips

  • Spices: You can use ground spices from the grocery store or you can grind some of the whole spices yourself. I used a mortar and pestle to grind the whole cloves, whole pepper and whole cardamom pods.
  • Parchment Paper: I bake all of my cookies on parchment paper lined cookie sheets except for Almond Spritz cookies. Have you ever baked cookies and one half of the cookies are unevenly baked on the bottom and some of the cookies are baked perfectly golden brown? This is the difference parchment paper makes when you line cookie sheets with it when baking cookies. Parchment paper also makes clean up a breeze. Just discard the parchment paper and rise the cookie sheet well and you are done.
  • Forming the cookie balls: A dough scoop comes in very handy when making uniform shaped balls of cookie dough.
  • Dusting with sugar: Dust the cookies with sugar while they are still warm or the sugar will not stick to the cookies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1CookieCalories: 66kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 59mgPotassium: 42mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 13IUCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Share a picture on Instagram and tag @flouronmyface2

More Christmas Cookies

  • Blue and White Christmas Cookies
  • Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
  • Pillsbury Funfetti Christmas Cookies
  • Reindeer Christmas Cookies

About Arlene Mobley

Arlene Mobley author of Flour On My Face-a Food & Lifestyle website helping busy families get dinner on the table by serving easy recipes every week.

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German Spice Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular German cookie? ›

We've come to the most popular German biscuit – Lebkuchen or known as gingerbread (“Lebkuchen” in English is “gingerbread”).

What is the difference between Pfeffernüsse and lebkuchen? ›

Pfeffernusse and lebkuchen are both similarly flavored with honey and lots of warm baking spices but pfeffernusse are almost always small, rounded cookies coated with a powdered sugar glaze, while lebkuchen may be shaped like regular cookies or cut in bars and are generally glazed with chocolate.

What is the best cookie in Germany? ›

What to eat in Germany? Top 12 German Cookies
  • Nürnberger Lebkuchen. Nuremberg. Germany. dreamstime. ...
  • Zimtsterne. GERMANY. shutterstock. ...
  • Engelsaugen. GERMANY. shutterstock. ...
  • Bethmännchen. Frankfurt. Germany. ...
  • Wibele. Baden-Württemberg. Germany. ...
  • Lebkuchen. GERMANY. shutterstock. ...
  • Pfeffernuss. GERMANY. shutterstock. ...
  • Aachener Printen. Aachen. Germany.

What does Pfeffernüsse mean in German? ›

German for “pepper nut“, Pfeffernüsse are named for the pinch of pepper added to the dough before baking.

What are German spice cookies called? ›

Bursting with flavour, these German spice cookies known as pfeffernüsse, are considered a holiday treat.

What is the number one dessert in Germany? ›

The Apfelstrudel is the most popular pastry in Germany. Germans often top Apfelstrudel with vanilla cream and whipped cream. What is Germany's most famous dessert? Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte is Germany's most famous dessert.

Does Trader Joe's sell Lebkuchen? ›

Our Chocolate Covered Lebkuchen are popular with a certain crowd, but some folks don't like the nuts and spices in these traditional German gingerbread cookies.

What are the Oktoberfest cookies called? ›

Lebkuchen Hearts for Oktoberfest. These iconic Oktoberfest heart cookies are known around the world.

Do you eat the bottom of Lebkuchen? ›

Nuremberg lebkuchen also usually contain marzipan (or what is called almond paste in the U.S.), candied citron and orange peel, and they always have an edible wafer (collectively known as Oblaten or Back Oblaten) on the bottom.

What is the number one cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

What is traditional German Christmas food? ›

These delicious holiday recipes represent typical German Christmas food. Treat guests to a traditional German Christmas dinner with classic dishes like roasted goose legs, braised red cabbage. and dumplings, and don't forget the mulled wine and platter of gorgeous, festive cookies.

What do Germans call cookies? ›

The word Plätzchen, which literally means 'a little place to sit' and is pronounced 'plehtschyun,' consist of flour, sugar and butter (even though many Germans use a special backing margarine for most of their cookies).

What is the difference between pfeffernusse and Lebkuchen? ›

Both pfeffernusse and lebkuchen are a type of gingerbread cookie, but they're spiced, shaped, and even glazed differently for the most part. First of all, classic pfeffernusse is only around 1 inch in diameter, while lebkuchen size can range from slight to the size of the palm.

What is the difference between Lebkuchen and Pfefferkuchen? ›

Historically, and due to differences in the ingredients, Lebkuchen is also known as "honey cake" (Honigkuchen) or "pepper cake" (Pfefferkuchen). Traditionally, the cookies are usually quite large and may be 11.5 cm (4.5 in) in diameter if round, and larger if rectangular.

What are the heart cookies in German? ›

This heart cookie recipe is from Germany where they are called Herrnhuter Herzen.

What kind of cookies do they eat in Germany? ›

Cookies
  • Berlin Bread * Berliner Brot. By Barbara / December 4, 2023. ...
  • Linzer Cookies. By Barbara / February 28, 2023. ...
  • Domino Stones – Dominosteine – Chocolate Dominos. ...
  • Slab Cookies – German Style. ...
  • Peppernuts – Pfeffernüsse. ...
  • German Candy “Nippon” ...
  • Russian Bread (cookies) – German Alphabet Cookies. ...
  • Mutzenmandeln – Carnival Donuts.

Which word is a common German cookie? ›

Lebkuchen is the general name for a variety of different cookies and pastries that are made with this combination of ingredients. Lebkuchen can be round or square or rectangular. The cookies can be glazed or not glazed. And if they are glazed it can be white or chocolate.

What is the number one selling cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co. But did you know Oreos are a copycat product?

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