Peppernuts!

Christmas is just not the same without peppernuts. They're little German spice cookies my grandmother always used to make. They're perfect for dunking in coffee and great by the handful. And Christmas is just not the same without them. So... today is Peppernut Day! I started making them yesterday, let them freeze overnight, and baked them this morning. Well, I baked half of them. The other half will have to wait until later because I have plans in a little over an hour and I don't want to pull out the other pan of frozen dough. There are dozens of recipes for peppernuts, and it seems that every Mennonite family has their own version. I've tried a couple other varieties, but nothing beats what *I* know to be peppernuts: 1 C. shortening 1 C. white sugar 1 C. butter 1 C. evaporated milk 2 C. brown sugar 1 egg Mix ingredients together. Add in: 1 tsp each: salt black pepper cinnamon nutmeg ginger baking powder baking soda 1/2 tsp each: allspice cloves anise oil 6-7 C. flour The dough will be thick, kind of like gingerbread. Refrigerate dough until chilled through. Roll chilled dough into long 3/4 inch diameter ropes. Freeze. Cut ropes into 1/4 inch cookies and place on baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Makes a few hundred cookies... That are perfect for gift giving!! Wrap them up in the cutest way you can think of and hand out to everyone you know!!