Homemade Peppernuts Recipe

My family has the tradition of baking an assortment of delicious German Christmas cookies with my Oma (grandma). I remember as a young child looking forward to her coming over to our house for a full day of baking - I cherish those memories! This recipe has been slightly altered over the years to cut down on the sugar/fat content, without compromising on the taste. Enjoy!

Pfeffernusse (Peppernuts)

Ingredients:

- 3 1/3 cup flour 

- ¼ tsp salt                              

- 2 tsp baking powder

- ½ tsp allspice

- ½ tsp ground cloves

- 3/4 tsp cinnamon

- ¼ tsp ground Anis seed
- ½ cup sugar

- 1 tsp vanilla

- ½ cup pure maple syrup

- 1 cup chopped brazil nuts
- ½ cup strong coffee (1 rounded scoop ground coffee for 1/2 cup water), cooled off 

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, allspice, ground cloves, cinnamon and ground Anis seed. Add sugar, vanilla, maple syrup, brazil nuts and coffee. Mix ingredients to form a stiff dough. Shape the dough into a ball. (If time permits, wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours to develop the flavor.) Cut off a little portion of the dough and roll between your hands and a lightly floured work surface to make slim, ropes about 1/2 inch thick. Cut ropes into 1/2 inch pieces using a sharp knife and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. 

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 8 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool on a baking sheet. Cookies will seem a bit hard but will soften once stored in Tupperware for a few hours.  

Does your family have any Christmas baking traditions?