Traditional Pfefferneusse

Ingredients

• 0.5 cups shortening
• 0.75 cups packed brown sugar
• 0.5 cups molasses
• 3 dropss anise oil
• 1 egg
• 0.5 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 3.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.25 teaspoons salt
• 0.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoons ground ginger
• 0.13 teaspoons white pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. 2

   In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in molasses, anise oil, and egg. Dissolve baking soda in hot water, and stir into the mixture. Combine the flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger and white pepper; blend into the molasses mixture until uniform. Knead for a minute until easy to work with. Shape dough into 1 inch balls, and place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3. 3

   Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until slightly browned on the bottom. Do not over bake, or they will be very hard. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.