If you love cookies with a little crunch and a warm, spiced flavor, these gluten-free Pfeffernusse cookies are about to become a new favorite. Lightly crisp on the outside, soft in the center, and coated in powdered sugar, these classic German holiday cookies are simple to make and ready in just 30 minutes. They’re festive, nostalgic, and surprisingly easy to enjoy all year long.
If you love German cookies, you will also want to make a batch of these Gluten-Free Lebkuchen. Nobody will know they are gluten-free!
❤️ Sandi’s Summary
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.
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.
Ingredients Notes and Allergen Swaps:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- 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. 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 3/4 teaspoon. This helps hold the cookies together.
- Almond Flour – I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almon meal will make your cookies grainy. I suggest Anthony’s Almond Flour as it is milled fine, so there is no grit.
- Brown Sugar – Use light or dark brown sugar.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter. To make these cookies dairy-free, use vegan butter.
- Molasses – You can use regular or blackstrap molasses.
Allergen Swaps:
It is easy to make these homemade gluten-free pfeffernusse cookies nut-free and or dairy-free with these substitutions:
- Make them dairy-free using dairy-free butter.
- Make them nut-free by omitting the almond flour and adding 1/3 cup of gluten-free flour blend.
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.) I also have a lot of great recommendations for my Favorite Cookie Baking Equipment.
A Note From My Kitchen
For those new to Pfeffernusse, it 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 has missed these cookies.
I tested these cookies using both Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure, and they worked well with both. If your blend doesn’t contain xanthan or guar gum, be sure to add it so the cookies hold together. You can skip the almond flour and use more GF flour for a nut-free version, just see my FAQ notes below.
How to Make Gluten-Free Pfeffernusse (Step-By-Step)
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Step 1: Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Use a whisk to blend them thoroughly.
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Step 2: Whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Next, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.
📢 Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cookie batter is too runny, add more flour; if it is too thick, add more liquid.
Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
Step 3: Use a
Step 4: Bake the cookies at 350º F for 8-9 minutes. You don’t want to over-bake them and have them get too hard. Removed the cookies from the oven onto a cooling rack
Step 5: Once the cookies are baked and cooled, roll them in powdered sugar.
Want to see more gluten free cookie recipes? Click here to see all cookie recipes on this site.
Frequently Asked Questions:
You can make them dairy-free by using palm shortening or coconut oil. It will change the texture slightly, but the flavor remains 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 1/3 cup of gluten-free flour blend.
These cookies should keep fresh up to 4 days. You can also freeze them easily in a freezer-safe zip-style freezer bag. Freeze them flat in the bag so they hold their shape.
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 Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes To Try!
I am so excited for this holiday season. The holidays are an excuse to make cookies more often! If you want more European cookie recipes, you may want to pick up a copy of my Gluten-Free Cookies From Around The World digital cookbook.
Love This Recipe?
💬 If you made these gluten-free Pfeffernusse cookies, I’d love to hear how they turned out! Let me know which flour blend or butter substitute you used, or who in your family loved them most. Your feedback helps other readers (and helps me keep sharing gluten-free recipes that work!). ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Gluten-Free Pfeffernusse Cookies (German Holiday Favorite)
Equipment
- Cookie sheet
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
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 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
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. I recommend using the bake setting rather than the convection bake. The bake setting will bake the cookies more evenly.
- Combine the flour, almond flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to blend.
- In a smaller bowl, add the partially melted butter, molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk to blend.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix into a soft cookie dough.
- Optional, but recommended: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill the cookie dough for 15-20 minutes. This allows the rice flour in the blend to soften, eliminating any grit.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a cookie scoop to drop dough balls onto the parchment paper.
- Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and move them to a cooling rack.
- Allow to cool fully.
- 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. Other blends will work, but you may need to make adjustments. If your dough is too dry, add more melted butter. If your dough is too wet, add more flour.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 3/4 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter with vegan butter.
- I highly recommend using almond flour instead of almond meal. Almond meal is coarser and will result in grainy cookies.
- Allow your cookies to cool completely before rolling them in powdered sugar.
- These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer. Freeze the cooled cookies in a freezer-safe zipper bag.
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, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
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.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
