Pfeffernusse

photo source: http://bit.ly/1wX37Jg

The Christmas Season, to me and my friends and then my husband, always began when you'd find that first display of Stella D'oro Pfeffernusse. Yummers ! Wuhl, between 2006 and 9 Stella D'oro had problems and strikes and the company was sold, and when they put out the Pfeffernusse around 2010 it may have been the same sized package, still on sale for $3.89, but there were only 11 cookies in there ! and I'm cheap. So I asked around and my girlfriend came to the rescue. She's been working this recipe since High School. It's adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book c. 1970.

It's not a complicated recipe, but you really need to follow it closely and do NOT rush it.
When it says "let it cool" then don't get cute...let it cool completely. "Chill well" means chill well.
Thank you.

The other hilarious thing is, they're not really great right away. It's like they cure overnight. The first time I made them I was SO disappointed, they were like balls of chalky flour. I had been baking all night and I just went to bed and (metaphysically) cried. I woke up the next day and popped one in my mouth and It. Was. PERFECT. They're absolutely delicious. P.S. don't even THINK of doubling it, it's disastrous. I just put one saucepan next to another saucepan and one bowl next to another bowl and bang out a double batch on the Saturday before Advent 2 and they last all season. They're also great for gifting. P.P.S. my girlfriend says, "The bigger you make them, the softer and chewier they are, but even at the specified size, I've never had them be dangerous to bite down on the way most commercial ones are."

Set oven for 375 degrees

• 3/4 cup "light" molasses (i don't know what that means. i use Brer Rabbit or Grandma's)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 TEAspoons SODA
• 1 1/2 TEAspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 TEAspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 TEAspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• dash of freshly ground coarse black pepper
• confectioners' sugar for coating

In a saucepan, combine molasses and butter.
Cook until butter melts, THAT'S ALL, no more. Not even two minutes ...
Cool to room temperature.

While you're waiting, sift together flour, sugar, soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and pepper.

Lightly beat 2 eggs and stir that in to the molasses and butter.

Add the flour mixture to the eggs, molasses and butter mixture.

Chill. Well. I find it's best to soak a tea towel in water and place it on the top of the dough.

Shape dough in to 1 inch balls.
Bake on greased cookie sheet at 375 for 12 minutes.
Cool.
Roll in confectioners' sugar.

ENJOY ! !