Pfeffernusse (german Pepper Nut Cookies )

Total Time: 59 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 14 mins

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed anise seed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light molasses (unsulfured)
• 1 egg
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, for dusting (icing)

Recipe

• 1 in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, pepper, aniseeds, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg and cloves.
• 2 in a large bowl, using an electic mixer set on medium speed, beat together the butter, brown sugar and molasses until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
• 3 beat in the egg.
• 4 reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture.
• 5 cover and refrigerate for several hours.
• 6 position a rack in the middle of an oven and preheat to 350 degrees f.
• 7 butter 2 baking sheets, scoop up pieces of dough and roll between your palms into balls 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• 8 place the balls on the cookie sheets spacing them about 2 inches apart.
• 9 bake until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom and firm to the touch, about 14 minutes.
• 10 transfer the baking sheets to racks and let the cookies cool slightly on the sheets.
• 11 place the confectioners' sugar in a sturdy paper bag, drop a few cookies into the bag, close the top securely, and shake gently to coat the warm cookies with the sugar.
• 12 transfer to racks and let cool completely.
• 13 repeat with the remaining cookies.
• 14 store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.