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Peppernuts (Pfeffernusse)

Peppernuts (Pfeffernusse) are tiny teaspoon-sized Christmas cookies from my Mennonite tradition.
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup milk (or oatmilk)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 5 1/2 cups flour
  • 6 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • My mother’s recipe simply says, “375” as the entire peppernut cooking method, but I’ll clarify with the other steps beyond oven temp.
  • Cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer. Add the milk and vanilla and beat to combine. Sift the dry ingredients then combine them with the wet ingredients. Mix until combined. Let the dough chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
  • Heat your oven to 375F.
  • Lightly flour a cutting board. Take about a cup of the dough and roll it into a snake. Slice the snake into teaspoon-sized nuggets. Lightly roll each nugget so it is smooth. Arrange them on a baking sheet. You can fit quite a lot on a sheet but do not let them touch. They will not flatten and spread during baking. Bake at 375F for about 10-12 minutes, rotating halfway through. Use a metal spatula to scrape them off into a big bowl for serving.