Peppernuts anno 1731

We have a recipe for the Danish Christmas cookie pebernødder from 1731. Here is both the original Danish recipe, my translation and an adapted printable version.

Pebernødder, 1731
“Tag et pund Pudder-Sucker, et pund fint Hvedemeel, fem Eg, et Lod Cardemomme, et lod Caneel og Muskatteblomme tilsammen, et half Lod Aniis, lidet Peber, tre Lod Suckat, to Lod Citronskaller og mæng alt dette tilsammen og bag det.”
– En Høy-Fornemme Madames Kaagebog, 1731

In English:

Take one pound (467,7g) of brown sugar, one pound of wheat flour, five eggs, a weight (14,6g) of cinnamon, a weight of mace, half a weight of anise, a bit of pepper, three weights of sugar, two weights of grated lemon zest and mix it all together and bake it.

I have not tried out this old recipe yet, but I kind of want to!

Print

Peppernuts anno 1731

Recipe for from 1731 for peppernuts - a traditional danish Christmas cookie. The cookies are perfect for making with little kids, as they don't require any finesse.

Course Cookies, Desert

Cuisine 19th century, Christmas, Danish, Historical cooking, Holiday Food, Renaissance

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 23 minutes

Servings 40 cookies

Ingredients

• 468 grams brown sugar
• 935 grams wheat flour
• 5 eggs
• 14 1/2 grams cinnamon
• 14 1/2 grams mace
• 7 grams anise
• 44 grams sugar
• 29 grams lemon zest
• pinch pepper today we use white pepper

Instructions

1. Mix the ingrediens
2. Let it rest until firm
3. Bake till the edges starts to get golden around the edges

Recipe Notes

Source: En Høy-Fornemme Madames Kaagebog, 1731