We all love the soft, fluffy, iced and decorated sugar cut-out cookies – and it wouldn’t be Christmas without those, am I right? But, if you’re looking to add something a little different to your baking this year, step back in time and make some peppernuts!
The history of these tiny, spicy, crunchy cookies is varied and vast – and most of the modern recipes contain neither pepper nor nuts. But it appears peppernuts are a centuries-old Christmas tradition in several European countries.
In the Netherlands, the cookies (called pepernoten) are linked to the feast of St. Nicholas (December 6), when children receive treats in their shoes left out overnight. In Germany, pfeffernusse are more closely tied to Christmas itself. Continue reading