Nothing Says Christmas Like Pfeffernüssen

Pfeffernussen are among the original "stollen goods", and so, for the clamouring masses, here is the recipe:

300 ml. confectioners (icing) sugar                       125 ml. softened butter
550 ml. all-purpose flour                                      175 ml. firmly packed brown                                            
1 ml. freshly ground pepper (1/4 tsp.)                   sugar
5 ml. cinnamon                                                     50 ml. molasses
2.5 ml. allspice                                                     1 large egg
1 ml. cloves                                                          2.5 ml. vanilla
1 ml. nutmeg
1 ml. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line baking sheets with parchment, and place the confectioners sugar in a brown paper bag. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and baking soda.  Set aside.

Cream together butter, brown sugar and molasses, and beat until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Beat in egg and vanilla, and then on low speed, add the flour mixture until just combined.  Pinch off dough in tablespoon amounts, roll into 1 1/4 inch balls.  Arrange balls on baking sheet, 7 cm. apart. (Can freeze at this point).

Bake until cookies are golden and firm to touch with slight cracking, about 15 minutes, rotate sheets 1/2 way through.  Transfer sheets to wire racks to cool slightly, about 8 - 10 minutes.  Working in small batches, place cookies in paper bag, shake until well coated.  Let cool completely on wire racks and store in airtight containers.

Fröhliche Weihnachten!