Grossmutter’s Peppernuts

Name: Grossmutter's Peppernuts
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: about 30 dozen.
Ingredients: 3 large eggs; 2 cups sugar; 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon anise extract or crushed aniseed

Before Christmas, my grandmother would bake peppernuts and store them until the big day. When we came home from school, the whole house would smell like anise and we knew the holiday season was about to begin. —Marilyn Kutzli, Clinton, Iowa

Ingredients

3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon anise extract or crushed aniseed

Directions

Beat eggs and sugar at medium speed for 15 minutes. Reduce speed; gradually add flour and anise. Beat until well combined. On a lightly floured surface, shape dough into 1/2-in.-thick ropes. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°. Cut ropes into 1/2-in. pieces; place on greased baking sheets. Bake until set, 6-8 minutes. Cool completely on baking sheets on wire racks. Cookies will harden upon standing. Store in airtight containers.

Nutrition Facts

6 pieces: 51 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 9mg cholesterol, 4mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch.

Originally published as Grossmutter's Peppernuts in Reminisce November/December 1991

Reviews

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AWD

Oct 23, 2016

My entire family loves these cookies!! I tend to make them for all our parties because I get so many requests for them. So easy to make, the kids love to help. Thanks for a recipe we will make for years to come.
tcavman15

Dec 27, 2012

The texture of these cookies was like eating dry playdough. They also lacked flavor, even though I used freshly crushed aniseed. I won't be making these again!
kitzer

Dec 2, 2010

It's been years since I've made cookies!! But, I'm going to locate my cookies sheets and make this one!!To BrytEyz or anyone else looking for Anise Seeds, you will find them at Penzey's Spices. They do ship. www.penzeys.com or call them at 1-800-741-7787.Happy Baking ~~ Kitzer
BrytEyz

Nov 23, 2009

My family LOVES these cookies! The Anise flavor is such a nice addition to my Christmas Cookie assortment. I've never found anisseed, so I just use the extract. I love that the recipe makes such a large number of cookies so quickly and easily. The small size is perfect for such intense flavor. The TOH cookbook in which I found the recipe states that they're best when left to age for a couple of weeks, but my family prefers them fresh. If you do "age" them, they'll take on a much crunchier consistency.