The Best Gluten Free Pfeffernusse Cookies

Name: Gluten Free Pfeffernusse Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend (* see note); 3/4 cup almond flour (* see note); 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon all spice; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 stick of butter (melted (1/2 cup)); 3/4 cup brown sugar; 2 tablespoons molasses; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 tablespoon water; powdered sugar (for dusting after the cookies have cooled)

Published: Nov 30, 2017 · Modified: Jun 24, 2021 by Sandi Gaertner · 50 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

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If you love cookies, these gluten free pfeffernusse cookies will soon become one of your favorites :-). Crunchy, with a hint of spice, these German holiday cookies make a delicious treat all year long.

a stack of gluten free pfeffernusse cookies

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What are Pfeffernusse Cookies?
Ingredients notes:
Recipe step-by-step directions:
Tips and Recipe FAQ:
More Delicious Gluten Free Cookie Recipes To Try!
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I am so excited for this holiday season. Cookies are my thing, as you can probably tell from all of the cookie recipes on my blog. The holidays are an excuse to make cookies more often! If you love cookies as much as I do, you may want to buy my Gluten Free Cookies From Around The World e-cookbook too!

You will love how this recipe came to be. I was at fencing class with my son when I got an urgent text message from Mr. Fearless Dining. It was a photo of a box of regular pfeffernusse cookies and a note, "please make this gluten free for me soon."

If you are looking for more gluten free cookie recipes, check out all of my gluten free holiday cookies.

This recipe is for my die-hard gluten free cookie fans. (My kids also just asked me to tell you to try two of their favorites: Gluten Free Nutella Stuffed Linzer Cookies and these Gluten Free Russian Tea Cookies.)

What are Pfeffernusse Cookies?

Pfeffernusse are a popular cookie in Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark.

My husband's family is from Germany and his grandmother used to bake homemade pfeffernusse cookies during the holidays. Since going gluten free, he hasn't really thought about this cookie...until he was grocery shopping with our daughter a few days ago.

Seeing the box of cookies triggered his memories and I knew I had to create a gluten free version for him. One bite of this gluten free pfeffernusse cookie and I think you will be hooked too.

Did you know you can also use this recipe to make an amazing Gluten Free Cookie Mix? Just layer it in a mason jar for easy gift-giving!

Ingredients notes:

Gluten free flour blend - Gluten free flour blend - I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
Xanthan gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon. This is what holds the cookies together.
Almond flour - I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your cookies grainy.
Butter - To make these cookies dairy-free, use vegan butter.
Molasses - You can use regular or blackstrap molasses.

I also have a lot of great recommendations for my Favorite Cookie Baking Equipment.

Recipe step-by-step directions:

Step 1: In a bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Hint: You may need to chop up a bit of the almond flour like you can see in this picture.

pfeffernusse liquid ingredients being whisked together

Step 2: Whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Next, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.

Pfeffernusse dough balls next to a cookie scoop

Step 3: Use a cookie scoop to make your cookie balls. I used to drop the cookies onto the cookie sheet with a spoon, but my son really likes when the cookies are all uniform and "pretty" so I now use a cookie scoop.

Step 4: Bake your cookies at 350º F for 8-10 minutes. You don't want to over-bake them and have them get too hard.

Step 5: Once the cookies have baked, you will want to roll them in powdered sugar.

This cookie recipe is perfect for a holiday party, or even a cookie exchange party. Although these gluten free pfeffernusse cookies remind me of Christmas, they are a delicious cookie to bake all year round!

Want to see more gluten free cookie recipes? Click here to see all cookie recipes on this site.

Three Gluten Free Pfeffernusse Cookies stacked on top of each other on top of a red gift bag.

Tips and Recipe FAQ:

Can you make pfeffernusse dairy-free?

You can make them dairy-free by using palm shortening, or coconut oil. It will change the texture a little bit, but the flavor is still great!

How do you store almond flour so it doesn't get rancid?

I store my almond flour in the refrigerator to prevent it from going rancid. This cold makes the almond flour bunch up a bit sometimes.

Can you make these cookies nut-free?

You can easily make these pfeffernusse cookies nut-free by omitting the almond flour and adding ⅓ cup additional gluten free flour blend.

How long will these cookies keep?

These cookies should keep up to 4 days. You can also freeze them easily in a freezer-safe zip-style freezer bag. Freeze them flat.

If you want to create a delicious German dinner to enjoy before you eat these cookies, check out my Gluten Free Schnitzel recipe! This recipe also includes a recipe for German potato salad that is delicious with the schnitzel!

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