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.
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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 is 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!
This is one of my favorite gluten-free flour blends for cookies, cakes, pie crust, biscuits, and muffins! (Do not use this flour blend for yeast recipes.)
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 made these on the weekend using Bod’s Red Mills 1 for 1, Earth Balance vegan butter and Bod’s Red Mills egg replacer. They turned out great! This will be a yummy treat a family member who eats, GF, dairy and egg free can enjoy over Christmas."
Margaret L., Facebook comment
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 as you can see in this picture.
Step 2: Whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Next, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.
Step 3: Use a
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 are 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.
Tips and Recipe FAQ:
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!
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.
You can easily make these pfeffernusse cookies nut-free by omitting the almond flour and adding ⅓ cup additional gluten free flour blend.
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!
More Delicious Gluten Free Cookie Recipes To Try!
- Gluten Free Ginger Cookies
- Gluten Free Austrian Vanillekipferl Cookies
- Gluten Free Roasted Chestnut Cookies
- Swiss Brunsli Cookies
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Pfeffernusse Cookies
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- ¾ cup almond flour * see note
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon all spice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 stick of butter melted (½ cup)
- ¾ 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
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a large bowl, add all dry ingredients.
- Whisk to blend.
- In a small bowl, add all wet ingredients and mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Mix well.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop dough balls onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until done.
- Remove and move to a cooling rack.
- Allow to cool.
- Drop each cookie into powdered sugar and toss to coat.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your cookies grainy.
- Allow your cookies to cool before rolling them in the powdered sugar!
- These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Fearless Dining
Simplifying the art of baking and cooking gluten-free recipes.
Debra C.
How delicious! I love that your hubby came home with the request also. Very fun and what a treat! These cookies look delicious!
Sandi Gaertner
LOL, he can be a bit pushy when it is about a dessert 🙂
Pam
These look so beautiful and delicious. And, thank you for the great tutorial. Your photos are awesome!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much Pam 🙂
Katie D
I've never been able to try these cookies because I haven't seen a GF version. It's so perfect that you have one! My niece is GF too and I'm sure she'll love these for the holidays 🙂
Sandi Gaertner
Awesome Katie, I hope she likes them 🙂
Monica | Nourish & Fete
These look beautiful, and it's so lovely that you were able - and willing - to recreate these for your husband! We will most likely head to at least one Christmas market in Germany this year, and I'll definitely keep an eye out for these! Yum!
Sandi Gaertner
LOL, he really loved these cookies. We love the Christmas market in Munchen...enjoy your trip 🙂
Helen of Fuss Free Flavours
I love all the different traditions there are from other countries and cultures. These cookies sound wonderful, and so lovely to make for the Christmas period. A little bite of deliciousness.
Sandi Gaertner
So do I Helen...it makes the holidays even more special 🙂
Savita @ ChefDeHome
This is the best time to enjoy cookies! Gluten free, even better. Thanks for sharing, Sandi.
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you like this recipe Savita, I appreciate your stopping by 🙂
Marilyn
Hi, Thanks for this wonderful recipe. My son takes a german language class that has a student and a teacher that can not have gluten.. Every week parents bring snacks. Last week someone brought really delicious chocolate chip cookies but the two could not have any. I felt so bad. I found this recipe to make especially for them AND THEY BOTH LOVED IT!!! I loved the recipe so much I made a regular flour batch just for my family and it was still amazing.
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Marilyn, I am so glad you and your son made these for the class! Your story made my day 🙂 I can't tell you how often it is my kids who can't eat something brought for the class. Thank you!!
Sand
My mother used to make this cookie every Christmas, I have tried to make her version gf with no luck. What did base ypur version on...a recipe that you used to make and just substituted the flour??? I make mom's every year for my brother and my husband and it kills me not to be able to eat tehm.
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Sand, my father in law is German and I sort of modified a recipe he had. I think you will like this gluten free version very much 🙂