Danish Pebernødder (Pepper Nut Cookies)
These Christmas cookies are one of Denmark's oldest and most beloved Christmas cookies, with roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. Originally baked as tiny, lightly spiced treats meant to aid digestion during the heavy holiday feasts, they quickly became a nostalgic December staple. Today, you'll find them everywhere in Denmark during Christmas time - from the bustling Christmas markets to every hygghelig home throughout the season. And fair warning. . . one you start snacking, it's nearly impossible to stop, especially because they are so deceptively small. These crisp little bites carry all the classic holiday spices, including that signature hint of white pepper that gives them their name and unmistakable charm.
Ingredients
- 1 whole vanilla bean, scraping out the seeds
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp butter, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups cane sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 cups flour
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove seeds from the vanilla bean.
- Whip butter together with sugar, and the vanilla until it is nice and light.
- Add the cream.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, all the spices, and the baking powder.
- Add the flour mixture to the buttered mixture a little at a time, either with your hands, or at a low speed with the mixer, until the mixture is well combined.
- Roll out the dough a little at a time, into little finger-size sausages, and cut them into 1/2" pieces.
- Form the pieces into little balls, and place them evenly onto the cookie sheet, making sure they are not touching.
- Bake until golden brown (about 10 minutes). You can move them to a wire cooling rack after a couple of minutes. Let them cool completely before you put them into a cookie tin. Enjoy!