Peppernuts (Pfeffernussen) Recipe

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Peppernuts (Pfeffernussen)

From Dorothy McNett's Recipe Book at www.dorothymcnett.com.

2 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup candied or dried fruit
1/2 cup walnuts or hazelnuts
2 eggs
1 cup sugar (crystalline brown sugar is great!)

orange juice or brandy

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and pepper together in a bowl. In food processor with steel chopping blade in place, chop the fruits and nuts and add to flour mixture. Whisk the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy and then blend into flour mixture. Make into rolls 1 inch in diameter and wrap in waxed paper. Chill. Slice into 1/4 inch slices and put on a silicone or parchment lined baking sheet. Let stand uncovered, several hours or overnight. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Turn each cookie over and drop a few drops of orange juice or brandy on soft spot of each. Bake about 15 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar while hot. These get very hard, so are best dunked into coffee, tea, or hot drinks. We always stored ours in a big can, covered, for at least 2 weeks before eating, and they soften up.

Recipe created 1995-11-28.